Persistence of Vision
by MasterKenobi1138
Summary: A month after their graduation from Blackwell, Kate meets Max and Chloe in Portland. Chloe wants Max all to herself, but Max has a plan to build her own artists' community with some of their closest friends. Can Max and Chloe find peace after all they've been through? A distant finale to the Life is Strange saga.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Kate Marsh lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the sun's glare as the bus turned a corner. She clutched at the meager backpack on her lap, feeling as giddy as her first day at Blackwell. But the only difference was that this bus was taking her out of Arcadia Bay.

This time, she was far less anxious about her destination.

 _Dear Heavenly Father,_ she prayed, clasping her hands together. _Thank you for bringing me this far. May your hands guide me toward a happy reunion. May your blessings and your wisdom shine out in what I say and do here, amen…_

It had been a month since her class had graduated from Blackwell Academy. After the trying circumstances everyone had been through—including her suicide attempt—Kate had finally gotten her parents to agree to let her take a year off before she entered college. Well, her father had agreed at any rate. Her mother had been content to sit behind him and avoid eye contact.

Even months later, some of the things that they'd said to each other couldn't be settled so quickly.

Kate sighed and leaned against the bus window, letting the sunlight warm her face. She didn't need to think about that mess. This trip was supposed to be a happy occasion.

As if on cue, her phone beeped. Kate took it out from her pocket and saw a series of new texts.

 **Max:** _hi, Kate!_

 **Max:** _i think i see your bus!_

 **Max:** _pls reply if it's you!_ ^_^

Kate giggled and typed in her reply.

 **Kate:** _Yes, it's me, Max_

 **Kate:** _See you soon! xoxoxo_

As she hit "Send," Kate glanced out the window. She could see the bus depot only a few blocks down the street. Sure enough, when she squinted, she spotted a young woman in a red jacket jumping up and down, waving her arms frantically. Kate put her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter.

After an agonizing minute passing street trees and bike lanes, the bus finally came to a halt.

"Welcome to Portland, folks!" the driver called out. "Please gather your belongings and watch your step!"

* * *

Max Caulfield hugged herself against the warm July breeze passing through the front of the bus depot. But it wasn't just the weather that gave her goosebumps.

She couldn't believe how her life had changed over the last year. Not only the time travel powers and the storm—the memories of which she still sorted out in the dead of night—but in the people and places she'd seen along the way. Even now, when she looked in her mirror, she saw herself in Rachel Amber's trademark flannel shirts and makeup. She'd even grown her hair out a little, if only because Chloe enjoyed it.

Thinking of Chloe brought a smile to Max's lips. A lot of good had come out of the mayhem that had enveloped Arcadia Bay last October, but nothing could even compare to saving her one and only Chloe Price. Max had jumped across multiple timelines to rescue that sweet angel from gunshots, train wrecks, paralysis, suicide, and a dozen other threats to her very existence. In the end, it had cost them dearly—a near-fatal bullet for Chloe and the loss of Max's powers—but it had all been worth it.

As soon as Max had graduated, she never looked back at Blackwell Academy. She gathered her possessions and hopped into the new truck Chloe had bought. Just the two of them and the straight, lonely road to Portland.

 _But we're not lonely anymore,_ Max thought. She grinned when she saw the bus approaching and began to wave.

It took every ounce of Max's willpower to keep still while the bus came to a complete stop. She'd sent over a hundred text messages over the last few weeks, making arrangements for so many friends from school to pay her and Chloe a visit.

All coming together to fulfill what she liked to call her evil genius plan.

Kate Marsh was one of the last passengers to disembark. Max did a double take when she saw the girl's shoulder-length blond hair. Kate had always been one of the prettier girls at school, but this look took Max's breath away. She'd even changed her usual attire of a conservative black jacket and skirt for a cute blue summer dress.

But nothing could compare to the way Kate's whole face lit up when she saw Max. In an instant, they ran toward each other, colliding in a fervent hug.

"You've grown your hair out!" Kate exclaimed. When she pulled back, she gestured at Max. "It looks really good on you."

"Thanks." Max blushed. "But I was gonna say the same thing about you."

Kate smiled and tugged at a loose strand. "It was for my church." Looking away for a moment, she added, "I made a vow to grow out my hair and then donate it to the local leukemia charity. And they let me back into the fold after that."

Max took the girl by the hand and led her down the sidewalk. "That's sweet, Kate. But I don't see why you need to do that for their approval."

"It wasn't just for them." Kate took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm doing it for myself, too. To prove that I'm not just a victim anymore."

"Of course you're not a victim. You survived hell—and you helped me survive it, too."

Other words danced on the tip of Max's tongue, but she didn't let them out. It'd been a tough few months, but she'd made a choice to not reveal her time travel powers to anyone but Chloe. She would've loved to tell Kate, but every time she tried, she saw every one of her failed attempts. Every time she told Kate not to go to the police. Every time she didn't answer Kate's cry for help on the phone.

And every time Max saw Kate falling from the roof of their dorm.

It was safer not to go mad explaining the trauma of remembering the altered past. And she'd rather be known as the Blackwell Ninja than as the girl who leapt through time.

"Well, I can't thank you enough for inviting me here," Kate was saying. The glow was still present in her eyes and her voice. "I've always wanted to visit Portland."

Max smiled back. "I'm glad you could make it. And you're not the only Blackwell alumni coming either. Warren and Brooke should be here the day after tomorrow, and then I think Alyssa and Stella after that."

"Bless you, Max. You're kind for doing this."

They came to a stop at the next street corner. Kate was about to step off the curb and cross the intersection, but Max held her back with a squeeze of her hand.

"Hey, what's the hurry?" said Max with a playful wink. "Let's just hang here. Our ride will show up any minute now."

Kate opened her mouth, about to ask a question, when a familiar squeal of tires cut her off. Max spun to the right and grinned when she saw a faded navy blue truck cruising down the boulevard. Without warning, the truck wove a sharp path around the slow parade of sea green Prii and other hybrids on the road. The madwoman at the wheel earned herself a few honks from the other cars as she crossed a lane and slid into an illegal parking spot right in front of Max and Kate.

Max opened the passenger door, revealing Chloe Price in the driver's seat. Compared to last October, she hadn't changed her wardrobe, still rocking the same blue jeans, jacket, and beanie. The only additions Chloe had made were swirls of purple in her electric blue hair—almost the same shade of dye as their classmate Alyssa used.

She grinned and waved at the other girls. "All aboard the Portland Punk Express! You geeks wanna a ride?"

"We're sure as hell not walking home." Max turned to Kate and held the door open. "After you."

* * *

Seeing Portland from inside Chloe's truck was an unexpected treat for Kate. She'd read up on the city even while she was at Blackwell, dreaming of the new life she could make for herself there—so long as it kept her far away from her bullies in the Vortex Club. However, with Chloe behind the wheel, the serene city became a high-paced blur of colors and sounds that thrilled her to the core. It was an adventure that her parents wouldn't have permitted, but Kate relished this guilty pleasure for all it was worth.

To her surprise, Max held her hand for the entire drive to their apartment building. Kate didn't mind that either.

Minutes later, they'd found a parking spot on the street. Kate followed Max and Chloe through the downstairs lobby and into the elevator. She took the time to admire the Art Deco designs she saw everywhere, all the way up to the fifth floor where Max and Chloe lived. The whole place bustled with other young couples and families. Everywhere they went, Kate heard children playing or someone strumming on a guitar. It reminded her of the youth group she'd worked in at her church.

At least it didn't hurt as much to think about her religion.

"Home sweet home," Chloe declared. She turned the knob and opened a door on the right, leading Max and Kate inside.

It was a nice little apartment, comfortable in shades of white and beige. Chloe wasted no time moving into the kitchen and rummaging through the fridge, while Max escorted Kate to the living room sofa. Kate took a seat, grateful for the thick, soft cushions after sitting on a bus for so long.

"There's a bathroom down the hall if you want to freshen up," said Max. As she dropped Kate's bag onto the floor beside the couch, she added with a wink, "Or how about some tea? We haven't done that in forever."

Kate smiled back. "I'd love some tea. Thanks, Max."

It was as if nothing had changed from the old days at school. From the happier days before the Vortex Club party and the storm, when she and Max would hang out and everything was fine with her parents. Kate had to fight the urge to cry; she was so touched.

From what she knew of Chloe, she didn't want to embarrass her with a show of emotion.

 _Never apologize for your feelings._ That was something she'd learned from her therapist at the hospital. Dr. Grey had given her lots of little mantras and tips during her sessions. Things that Kate wished she'd heard while she was at Blackwell.

At least Max had never doubted her. Even now, Kate was could tell how Max would be gentler around her than she was with Chloe. Every little gesture showed how much she cared.

Chloe reemerged from the kitchen with a bowl of cookies and chips in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. She set down the bowl on the table in front of Kate and plopped herself down in a nearby armchair. After a long swig of beer, Chloe sighed. Then she took notice of Kate and turned the bottle toward her with a grin. "Wanna taste?"

Kate grimaced. "I'll pass, thanks."

"Haven't changed a bit, I see." Chloe shrugged and waved her bottle at the bowl of snacks. "Well, help yourself. _Bon appétit!_ "

As Chloe resumed her drinking, Kate grabbed a few macaroons from the bowl and began to eat. She was glad to have something in her stomach after that bus ride.

"And for _le mademoiselle,_ " said Max, coming over to the couch with a tea tray in her hands, "we have a choice of Earl Grey, chai, and jasmine green tea."

"Ooh, Earl Grey, please."

Max grinned and put the tray down on the table. "Awesome. That means more chai for me."

The next few minutes passed without incident. As the tea brewed and cookies were passed around, the girls swapped stories about the things they did back in Arcadia Bay. They remembered the Bigfoots' rallies that Dana Ward and the other cheerleaders hosted and the projects they worked on in Mr. Jefferson's class. Chloe, of course, had less stories about school and spoke more about the trouble she got into outside of class.

"…And that was when his mom catches me!" Chloe laughed. "So there I am, with my pants over my shoulders, halfway out the window, and all I can think to say is, 'Well, at least I'm using protection!'"

"Gross," said Max, but she was laughing, too. Kate took an embarrassed bite out of a potato chip and looked away, desperate to think of something else.

"So, Max?" Kate began talking without really thinking about what to say. All she wanted was to change the subject before the memories came racing back. _Remember to breathe, Kate…_ "How have you enjoyed your time here?"

Max finished her tea before answering. "Mm, it's been good. I'd hate to admit it, but seeing Victoria's work did inspire me to submit a few photos to the local art galleries." She grinned and crossed her fingers together. "Here's hoping!"

"That's wonderful! Are you working as a photographer?"

"Sorta. I'm freelancing for a few newspapers and on the Web. Getting my name out there. Last week, I took photos for a same-sex wedding downtown."

"Sadly, it wasn't ours," Chloe quipped. She shot Max a meaningful look.

"Down, girl," Max retorted. She glanced at Kate and hesitated. "Um, I'm sorry if talking about that is making you uncomfortable—"

"It doesn't, honestly." Kate sipped at her tea, savoring the taste. It had been too long since she'd enjoyed herself like this. "I mean, I used to be a little more sensitive, but I'm better now." She smiled, hoping to reassure Max. "It took a lot of therapy to get over my issues with sex. I don't think it's wrong if two people are truly in love with each other, even if I could never say that in public."

Chloe took a long drink of beer, avoiding eye contact with Kate as she did. But Max looked right at her and smiled back. "That's great, Kate. I'm so happy for you. And I hope you'll be okay staying with us."

"C'mon, how could she not—?" Chloe paused for a burp. She coughed into her hand before continuing. "We're hella tight, Mad Max. Ain't nobody cooler than us in town."

Kate laughed, but deep down, she agreed with Chloe. When she looked at the quiet confidence that she and Max shared, it was heartwarming for all the right reasons. They looked out for each other and she knew they'd do the same for her.

 _God delivers us all,_ her mother used to say. Kate had said it enough to her little sisters, but now she understood what those words meant.

* * *

That evening, Max and Chloe took Kate down the street to a Hawaiian burger place. It didn't have the same ambiance of the Two Whales Diner that Kate remembered, but that was all right by her. She'd made a promise to herself to make the most of this trip, from trying new cuisines to having fun on whatever adventure Max or Chloe dragged her on.

They wandered around the street until it got late. When they returned to the apartment, Chloe slid away to the bedroom she shared with Max.

"S'cuse me, girls," she said over her shoulder. "Gotta take a hit before I start counting sheep."

Kate glanced at Max, who chuckled. "Chloe's smoking habits haven't changed much, I'm afraid. I've asked her to keep it to the bedroom, provided she opens a window."

"Oh, that makes sense." Then Kate remembered that they were in Portland and added, "At least no one here will judge her for that."

"Trust me, she still finds a way to gripe about the taxes she pays for it." Max shook her head and laughed as she took Kate's hand. "You must tired, though. Go wash up and I'll prepare your bed, okay?"

"Okay." Kate squeezd Max's hand before she went down the hall.

Her nose tightened when she passed the main bedroom and caught a whiff of freshly smoked weed. Kate ducked into the bathroom and closed the door as fast as she could. She took a few breaths and let them out slowly, waiting for her stomach to settle again.

The weed itself wasn't a problem, but the smell reminded her of the party.

She remembered someone handing her a drink, and then—

 _Let's not do this now,_ Kate told herself. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes. _Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls._

Her second-favorite Bible verse had become a source of comfort during her recovery. Kate opened her eyes and looked at herself at the mirror, letting the words circle through her mind.

The panic attack went away. It was getting easier now. She could still remember waking up in a cold sweat in the hospital or back at her dorm in Blackwell, haunted by all her trials. But it took a lot of love and patience for her to find a way back to feeling hopeful. Kate found her reasons in every note and get-well-soon card she got from her schoolmates.

And she found it in Max Caulfield. Her angel.

Kate smiled at her reflection. "It's safe here."

After brushing her teeth and changing into her pajamas, Kate went back down the hall and stepped into the living room. She found Max waiting for her, already in her jammies. The couch had been converted into a makeshift bed with a heavy quilt, blanket, and pillow.

"Here you go," said Max. She patted a spot on the couch beside her. "Should be comfy enough."

"I can't thank you enough for this," Kate replied. She went over and hugged Max. "I'm glad you invited me out here. I don't think I've said that enough today."

"It's fine, Kate." Max returned the hug, then stood up. "If you need anything else, don't be afraid to ask. And feel free to use whatever's in the kitchen."

Kate nodded. As Max turned away, she crouched on the floor and unzipped her travel bag. Inside was everything she had brought for the trip—including a soft white teddy bear from her stay in the hospital. When Kate pulled it out, she heard a gasp and turned around.

Max stood in the doorway to the living room, her hands to her lips. "You kept it? I didn't realize you liked it that much!"

Kate smiled and hugged the plushy animal to her breast. "He helps me get to sleep. I find I have less nightmares when I have something to snuggle."

Coming back to the couch, Max sat down next to Kate. "I know what you mean." She blushed. "It's the same for Chloe and me, actually."

"You two seem really happy together."

Max looked away, staring wistfully at the floor. "It's been an amazing month so far. I can't imagine being with anyone else. And she's changed, too. You wouldn't know it by looking at her, but Chloe doesn't get so upset all the time. She's enjoying herself more, even if means less 'adventures' like we used to have."

Kate took Max's hand. "You're a wonderful person, Max. You always know how to make us feel better."

"I'm trying, at least." Max looked down at her right hand and frowned. She sat that way for a long time, lost in thought.

Kate didn't know what was bothering her, so she settled for leaning into Max's shoulder and snuggling her. Max resisted at first, but then she slipped her arm around Kate's waist and hugged her again.

"Sweet dreams, Kate." Max turned around and planted a kiss on Kate's forehead. "Give your teddy a nice big squeeze for me, okay?"

"Sure thing. Good night, Max."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Chloe's eyes flew open when she felt something shaking beside her. She looked over and saw Max, shivering under the covers of their bed. The other girl was twisting and murmuring in her sleep, her eyes shut against something terrible.

"…You don't… don't have to do this…" Max whimpered. "Please… t-take my hand…"

It was enough to break Chloe's heart. She wiped a tear from her eye and slid closer to Max. Without a word, without even trying to wake her up, Chloe wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and hugged her from behind.

After a few minutes of tossing and turning, Max's fits subsided, and she was snoring peacefully again. Chloe reached up to stroke her hair and whisper sweet-nothings in her ear. Literally, sweet-nothings; she could've been saying gibberish, but if she spoke in a soft voice, that usually did the trick for Max's night terrors.

In the months after their reunion and their wild adventures together, Chloe had done a lot of reading up on psychology. It was as much for her benefit as it was for Max—a way to piece together what was going on in the aftermath. For the first time in her life, Chloe had found the words to describe the mess inside her head, from coping with her dad's passing to the whole emotional roller coaster with Rachel Amber. And when she looked at Max and the way she reacted after that fateful week, she had the words to describe her, too.

PTSD wasn't a pretty term, but it was all Chloe had to go on. She could see it in the moments when Max didn't know Chloe was watching her. An unguarded expression here, a nervous flinch there. After years of suffering under the same roof as her prick of a stepfather, Chloe was more than familiar with the signs of that fatigue.

As much as she hated to admit it, Max had been as much a veteran of the front lines as David. She needed the chance to heal that David never got, even when he married Chloe's mom.

In the present, Max had turned over and lay on her back. Chloe readjusted herself, keeping one arm around Max's shoulders. She leaned her close and watched as a tiny smile crept onto her girlfriend's face.

"Are you thinking of me, Caulfield?" Chloe whispered. Then, going for a kiss on the cheek, she added, "I sure as hell hope so."

Her lips brushed against Max's cheek. No reaction from her bedmate, as expected. Chloe sighed and snuggled against her.

She squinted at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was barely past 4 a.m. And it wasn't like they had to get up early anyway. The rest of their friends from school—Max's friends, Chloe corrected herself—weren't due to arrive until the late afternoon. Plenty of time to fuck around and sleep in if they wanted.

At least Kate could get a good night's sleep on the couch. Chloe shuddered to think how close that poor girl had come to being another photo op on the pavement. But they shared a guardian angel. One who now needed Chloe to protect her from recurring nightmares and long bouts of staring at the wall.

"Love you, angel." Chloe planted another kiss on the back of Max's neck. Within minutes, she was fast asleep, too.

* * *

Kate linked arms with Max as they got off the bus at Montgomery Street. The air was cool and refreshing, sending up a constant flutter among the trees lining the rows of office buildings, storefronts, and outdoor restaurants. Max led the way toward a small café near the first intersection; a hole-in-the-wall teashop called the Orange Lotus. When Kate saw the little coffee cup icon hanging over the entrance, she felt a pang of nostalgia in her stomach. Memories came back of her and Max hanging out at the Blackwell cafeteria, sharing tea and cookies after a long day of classes.

When the pain settled, Kate allowed herself a tiny smile. She wasn't that same awkward girl anymore. And Max hadn't left her side either.

"Well, look who's here!" Max exclaimed. The moment she stepped through the door, she pointed at a small booth on the left. Sitting there were two familiar faces, both wearing complementary Blackwell alumni sweaters.

"Yo, Max! Kate!" Warren Graham all but leaped up from the table. Only a last-minute save from Brooke Scott, the other occupant of the booth, kept his cup of coffee from spilling across the table. Like a puppy on Adderall, Warren closed the distance and grabbed Max and Kate in a bear hug. Kate squirmed in his grip, but Max laughed it off and patted him on the shoulder.

Brooke got up as they approached the table. She reached out and took Kate by the hand. "Glad to see you here. There's so much we need to catch up on."

Kate chuckled and took a seat beside her. "I know what you mean. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Tell me about it!" Warren slid deeper into his side of the booth, letting Max take her spot beside him. "After all the applications we've been filling out, I can't believe it's been only a month!"

"You guys still going to a STEM school?" Max asked.

"I've got my eyes set on a few places out of state," said Brooke. When she gave Warren a smirk, she added, "But _some_ of us would rather be closer to home."

"What can I say? I love Oregon's weather."

"And your mom's cooking."

"Hey, you love it, too."

Kate watched their banter with mild interest. She remembered the looks that Brooke would often shoot in Warren's direction—and how Warren would look the same way at Max. But seeing them together felt right. A couple of science geeks in perfect harmony.

When she looked over at Max, who was laughing at one of Warren's jokes, Kate wondered what she saw in her. They were both creative souls, and they'd been social misfits when it came to campus life. Back at the Prescott Dormitory, Kate had always felt a little more secure knowing that Max was right across the hall from her room.

It made up for the hell of living next door to Victoria Chase.

After a waitress came by and took their drink order, Brooke shot an inquisitive smile at Max. "Since we're here, would you mind telling us what this 'secret plan' of yours is all about?"

"I said it was my 'evil genius plan,'" Max quipped. She spread her hands out on the table, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "I had this idea since before we graduated. All the things we've been doing since last October have been great, and I wanted to keep it going, even when we went our separate ways."

Warren grinned. "Well, duh. That's why we've got social media."

"More than that." Max paused and glanced at her friends at the table. "I did some research into Blackwell's history and how the Vortex Club got started in the Eighties. It was supposed to be a haven for all the social outcasts, not the oppressive gang as we know it today."

Oppressive was the right word, Kate decided, but she would have also accepted _vicious_ or _barbaric._ Just thinking about the clique sent a throbbing pain through the back of her head.

"But it got me thinking that, if we couldn't change the Vortex Club from within, then maybe we could make its good counterpart instead." Max flipped back a lock of her hair from the side of her face as she spoke, her eyes lighting up. "Imagine if we put together a whole network of some of Blackwell's best and brightest. All the artists, science geeks, and other creatives that the Vortex Club kept down."

"So we're an _anti-_ Vortex Club?" Brooke snorted. "Too little, too late, Max. We're all graduated now."

Max nodded. "Right, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from where Victoria and her posse went wrong. They only put on their parties and bullied us around so that they could make themselves feel better. And we've been a support group for each other this whole time. All I'm saying is, let's make it an official artistic brand."

"Art and science go hand in hand," said Warren. "I like it."

Kate frowned at Max. "I'm confused. How are we a brand?"

"We're like a small town Oregon think tank." Once again, Max played with her hair while she spoke. Kate found it oddly soothing—even a little cute. "We stay in touch through the Web and face-to-face meetups like this, and then we collaborate on different projects. Like, say, Brooke and I work together on drones for a little aerial photography. And if Warren were doing a research project and needed an effective illustration, you could be his contributing artist, Kate. Don't be modest. I've seen your drawings and you're very talented."

With that remark, the only response Kate could muster was a blushing smile and a stammered, "Thanks…"

The waitress showed up again with two cups of jasmine tea for Max and Kate, as well as a plate of coconut macaroons. The four students dug into their snack while Max continued to outline her idea, with occasional input and comments from Warren and Brooke.

"Does your think tank have a name?" Kate asked after swallowing her third macaroon.

"I'm glad you asked." Max grinned and clapped her hands together. "I'm open to suggestions, but I'm partial to dubbing our group the Lighthouse Corps. Or the L.C. for short."

"Why the Lighthouse Corps?"

"Because of Arcadia Bay, right?" Brooke interjected. She gave Max a knowing smile. "There's nothing more iconic than the lighthouse from back home."

"Exactly." A shadow crossed Max's face. It lasted for only a moment, but it struck Kate how quickly the mention of the lighthouse affected her friend. When Max's smile returned, she added, "And what better way to fight a storm of bullies than to offer other geeks safe passage?"

"Spoken like a true sea dog," Brooke commented. She glanced at Warren. "Do I even need to ask if you're interested?"

Warren shot her a double thumbs-up. "Are you kidding? Let's put the pedal to the metal!"

Brooke shook her head and chuckled. She looked back at Max and said, "Well, then. I guess I'm in, too. I wouldn't mind experimenting with drone applications anyway."

"That's the spirit." Max looked over at Kate. "I should also point out that no one's obligated to even contribute to the group if they don't want to. It's one hundred percent voluntary, and we don't turn anyone away as a member."

"Ohh, I bet Victoria would've _hated_ that," said Warren.

Kate nodded and took Max's hand, fighting past the storm of butterflies in her stomach. "It's not that I _don't_ want to contribute. I just…" She shrugged. "Well, I haven't been drawing that much lately. One or two sketches since I got out of the hospital."

"Like I said, don't pressure yourself." Max squeezed her hand. "Whatever _you_ want to do is fine, Kate. We're all here for you."

"That's right," said Brooke, leaning over to hug Kate from the side.

Kate closed her eyes and smiled. If she weren't in a public place, she would've started crying. She settled instead for offering a silent prayer of thanks for having these friends.

After that, their conversation turned more casual, though a mention of the Lighthouse Corps came up once or twice. Kate didn't participate much. She was happy enough to sit back and listen to Warren going on about some old movie that he and Brooke had seen at the drive-in at Newberg.

"Hey, what about Chloe?" Warren eventually asked. He looked over his shoulder at the rest of the café. "I thought she'd be with you."

"She's fine," Max said. "It's part of our relationship that we need some space to ourselves each day. I go out and take pictures. She prowls around the city somewhere…" She took a sip of her tea and smiled. "It's hella refreshing."

* * *

Around midday, Chloe had a ritual that she needed to practice, much like Max needed to go walking and taking photos. In Chloe's case, her ritual began five blocks south of their apartment building. There was a convenience store called Fresh Fare right across the street from an elementary school campus. To her twisted mind, it was the perfect spot to buy a fresh pack of cigarettes, some beer, and plenty of snacks.

She'd only been in Portland for a month, but there was only so much "organic" food from the local co-op that Chloe could stomach. If not for Max's shopping, she would've never touched the stuff in the first place. Plus she got a well-deserved smoke break from her daily trips.

A soft chime rang out as Chloe entered the store. She nodded at Alfredo, the suave kid behind the counter, who was nose-deep in a newspaper. He glanced over the top of the page and nodded back.

Chloe grabbed her usual brand of smokes and a package of Twinkies. By her reckoning, they were good on beer for the rest of the week. She doubted Kate would be having any herself, which meant more for Chloe.

Now that she had some time and space to herself, she had to admit that having Kate as their guest wasn't the worst thing in the world. She was quiet and clean, not to mention easy to get along with. For all her religious upbringing entailed, it was a relief to live under the same roof as someone who didn't vocally judge Chloe every second of the day.

But, of course, that wasn't entirely true. Max could be as harsh as she liked, especially after what had happened.

Chloe felt a blush creep over her cheeks. _Probably not the best time to go sour on yourself,_ she reflected.

She passed back toward the cash register near the front of the store. Chloe dropped her cigs and snacks onto the counter with an unceremonious _thunk._

While Alfredo began to scan the items, Chloe's eyes wandered over the shelf of magazines beside the register. She recognized most of the titles as the usual crap she'd seen back in Arcadia Bay: _Guns & Ammo, Sport Fishing, TIME, National Enquirer, _and so on—

Her eyes widened.

No, that couldn't be right.

Chloe bit her lip, but no matter how hard she tried to look away, she couldn't. The magazine cover was there, plain as day.

 _Not her,_ she thought. _Anyone but her!_

"Hey, you there?" said Alfredo. "That'll be fourteen dollars, forty-five cents."

Chloe didn't quite process what happened next. Somehow, she'd gotten the magazine from the shelf and put it down with her cigarettes. She didn't even remember how much she'd paid. In any case, Alfredo didn't put up a fight when she gathered her things into her arms and walked out the front door in a total daze.

The world snapped back as Chloe chucked the cigarettes and Twinkies through the open window of her truck. With the magazine tucked under her arm, she raced to the side of the convenience store, where she wasn't quite in public view.

Turning the corner, Chloe dropped to her knees and let out the sob she'd been holding in. Through tear-filled eyes, she forced herself to read what was on the cover.

 _Ready for Summer! 11 Dress Tips That Will Leave Them Dazzled!_

 _City of Angels Survival Guide: How Will You Survive the Heatwave?_

Those hazel eyes, mysterious as ever, stared back at Chloe. Taunting her. She remembered how she would run her fingers through her hair. How she'd stare at Chloe from the privacy of their hideout in the junkyard, imitating the fashion runway that she knew was her destiny all along. Now she'd exchanged her flannel shirt and ripped jeans for a little black dress and a silk scarf. She'd gone heavy on the eyeliner, too.

And she didn't belong to Chloe anymore.

The worst of it was the text emblazoned beside the cover girl's image.

 _Small Town Oregon Beauty Queen!_

 _Introducing Rachel Amber_

Her heart felt like it was going to explode. That thick red cloud building up inside her again, just like in the days after her dad's funeral. She wouldn't go back there. She'd promised Max she wouldn't go back, and yet…

And yet.

"Bitch," she hissed. Chloe ripped the cover off the magazine and hurled it at the sidewalk. She stamped it, grinding it into a filthy rag under the heel of her boot. Then she was flipping through the rest of the magazine, ripping out every offending photo, every goddamn glamor shot that featured the small town beauty queen herself. Half a dozen glamor shots in a single spread, now ripped to shreds just for existing.

When her rampage had finished, Chloe had dropped into a crouch and leaned against the side of the convenience store. She stared down at the pile of shredded pages littering the sidewalk, unable to stop herself from weeping.

"You bitch," she whispered. "Why didn't you say something?"

It hurt to think about how happy they'd been together. All the tricks they'd placed. All the places they'd tagged in the dead of night, or when they skipped class. Rachel always knew what to say whenever Chloe would get into one of her moods—except for the one time it mattered most. And then she was gone, like she'd never existed in the first place.

Now Chloe knew why. And she'd never forgive her for it.

Retreating to a daze again, Chloe barely registered cleaning up the litter she'd created. After tossing the remains into a nearby dumpster, she went back to her truck, got inside, and slammed the door shut.

Moments later, when she was well on her way, Chloe's phone buzzed. She stopped at the next red light and checked her text messages.

 **Max:** _hey Chloe!_

 **Max:** _Warren and Brooke made it into town ok!_

 **Max:** ^_^

 **Max:** _Wanna meet us for lunch at Ansel's Diner?_

Chloe ignored the angry honk from the driver behind her. She saw the light turn green and pulled ahead, keeping one hand on her wheel and the other on her phone for a reply.

 **Chloe:** _yeah, I could go for some grub_

 **Chloe:** _nerd posse, assemble!_

 **Chloe:** _and don't forget dat cute ass, Mad Max_

She didn't bother waiting for an answer. Chloe let the phone drop from her hand onto the floor of her truck and focused on the road ahead. She'd stop at the apartment, put away her supplies, and make haste to the bedroom for a much-needed self-medication.

Even so, with the idyllic Portland landscape to distract her, she couldn't shake the haunting imprint of Rachel Amber's mysterious eyes following her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

" _Kate!_ "

The name cut through the air as Kate ran toward Alyssa and Stella. They'd barely made it off the bus before the diminutive blonde threw herself at them.

Max stood back with her arms crossed as she watched the trio's happy reunion. It had only been a month since graduation, but seeing those two exiting the bus felt it had been ages since then. She lifted her hand to wave when Alyssa took notice of her, and it was then that a sudden wave of melancholy rose up in Max.

She'd never be able to rewind time again. How much had she taken the passage of time for granted when even a mere month seemed like an eternity to her?

 _Don't go there,_ Max reminded herself. _All that means is you spent an eternity with Chloe, and that's something to treasure._

They'd had a wonderful time at Ansel's when Chloe showed up for lunch the day before. It had bothered Max at first that Chloe was still a little shy around their friends, but when she took Max's hand and squeezed onto it, she began to loosen up. The next thing she knew, Chloe was cracking a joke about Warren chasing after "geek girls" and the atmosphere was bright and happy once more. All that was missing from the otherwise perfect scene was Joyce showing up with a pot of coffee and a plate full of breakfast.

While Kate grabbed Stella's hand and talked about their trip, Max felt her phone vibrate. She snatched it out from her pocket and checked the screen. Four new messages from Warren.

 **Warren:** _yo, Max, are you available?_

 **Warren:** _gotta situation over here_

 **Warren:** _Chloe's locked herself in the apartment and Brooke left her drone kit in the kitchen_

 **Warren:** _pls respond? thx_

Max frowned. She glanced up at Kate, who was still smiling and chatting with Alyssa as they gathered their luggage. Then she went back to her phone and responded.

 **Max:** _just hang tight, guys_

 **Max:** _I'll be there asap, k?_

Without waiting for Warren's reply, Max put away her phone. She walked over to Alyssa and Stella, quietly accepting a hug from both of them.

"You guys, I hate to do this, but something's come up at the apartment." Max glanced at Kate and winked. "Don't worry. It's nothing serious."

"Do you need me to come with you?" asked Kate. Her eyes flickered with doubt, but only for a second. An improvement from how Max remembered her at school.

"No, but thanks for asking." Max pointed down the street. "Alyssa, Stella. Your motel's just down the block and to the right. Kate knows where to go, and she'll make sure you get there safely, okay?"

"Whatever you say, Max," Alyssa responded. Stella chimed in with a quiet nod and picked up the handle of her rolling suitcase.

Before the stress could overwhelm her again, Max gave each girl another hug. She lingered on Kate a little more, just to reassure the poor thing. Then she went left around the corner from the depot and began her trek back to the apartment.

* * *

One short bus ride and elevator trip later, Max finally found herself in the corridor outside her apartment door. She paused to catch her breath and adjust her flannel shirt. Even with her back-and-forth texts with Warren, her anxiety levels had spiked throughout the ride back home. Her mind was a flurry of worst case scenarios and other dark fantasies.

 _There was Chloe, lying in a pool of her own blood on the kitchen floor. There was Chloe, sobbing as she looked down at the gun in her trembling hands. There was Chloe, screaming abuse through a locked door and lighting their bed on fire with a dropped cigarette…_

It wasn't like Max hadn't seen all this before. She'd replayed those fantasies in her head for months now. Ever since the moment she watched Nathan Prescott shoot her friend at point blank range, and she reached out her hand to stop it. Every moment she had watched Chloe die, she'd been desperate to turn back the clock, to keep her from death's door one more time, just one more time…

But now that power was gone. And Max didn't know if she could still save her like before.

 _Please be okay._ Max kept her breathing slow as she took another step into the corridor. _If you're listening, God, don't let me lose Chloe now. Not when we're so good together!_

If there was a God, he'd listened when Max had saved Kate's life on the rooftop. And he'd listened when she'd exposed the Vortex Club conspiracy. Was it too much to ask for one more miracle?

When she heard Warren and Brooke's voices, Max let out another breath and turned the corner. She hastened toward her friends with her key in hand.

"Tell me she's okay in there," Max said, her voice coming out a little hoarse.

"I think she's fine," Booke replied. "I knocked dozens of times, but all I got was a 'Fuck off' and a few other growls."

Max almost laughed. "That sounds like Chloe." She put her key into the lock, she glanced at Brooke, then at Warren. "I'd hate to be a rude host, but you might not want to stick around."

Warren exchanged a knowing look with his girlfriend. Then he turned back to Max and smiled. "Hey, no worries, Max. We'll catch a bus and go hang with Kate and the others, all right?"

"I knew I could count on you guys."

With the front door unlocked, Max raced inside and checked the apartment. When she didn't see any signs of blood, broken glass, or ashes, she felt a slight burst of relief. She waited until Brooke grabbed her drone kit off the kitchen table, and her friends left the apartment with an awkward wave and a whispered "Good luck."

Then Max steeled herself and headed for the bedroom door.

She wasn't surprised to find it shut. From inside, she could hear music being played at full crank. The neighbors would have a field day with that, but Max couldn't have cared less. She put her head against the door and listened.

When she didn't hear anything apart from the music, Max lifted a trembling hand and knocked.

"Chloe? It's me. I'm coming in."

No response.

Max put her hand on the doorknob and turned it. She let the door swing open and took a few steps inside.

Their bedroom had never been glamorous. A long-standing compromise between Max's simple artistic tastes and Chloe's punk rock style, from posters of Richard Avedon's fashion models set against vintage photos of The Clash and Sex Pistols. On a few occasions, Max allowed Chloe to put up some graffiti—using non-permanent markers, of course. They'd done everything they could to make this one spot of Portland feel like home.

But the room didn't look so friendly now.

Chloe lay spreadeagled on the carpet, with one leg propped up against the bed, and the other pointed toward their dresser. She had a joint clenched between her teeth, one that smelled ripe enough to be freshly lit. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling, focused on nothing while "Santa Monica Dream" rang out from the Hi-Fi in the corner.

On the walls, Chloe had added a fresh layer of graffiti in black marker. Skulls wreathed in flame. Illuminati triangles. Underneath one of Max's framed photos was a drawing of a cat, wearing a superhero's cape and plummeting toward Earth in a fiery streak. And everywhere Max looked, she kept noticing a repeating motif of butterflies.

Under the largest butterfly—which had skulls on its wings—were the words: _Death to Hipsters._

"Hey, hippie," Chloe mumbled around her joint. With an irritated flick, she plucked it from her teeth. "Come to thrash?"

"Looks like you've done plenty on your own." Max crouched down beside Chloe, keeping her hands to herself. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Chloe blew out a lungful of smoke. Max crinkled her nose and looked away.

"I ain't got nothing to say, girl." After another hit on her weed, Chloe exhaled and added, "Besides, it's not _about_ you."

"Normally, I wouldn't pry, but we've got company over, and they're concerned."

"Not their problem either."

"Chloe—"

"Max, I'm in a mood, okay?" Chloe turned onto her side, showing her back to her girlfriend. "Sorry if I freaked everybody out. I'll be fine by dinner time. All right?"

On any other day, Max would've walked out and closed the door behind her. Even after all they'd been through, she knew Chloe could still get this way and needed her space. But this felt different. And though she hated thinking it, Max knew that their friends would notice. The last thing she wanted was some dark cloud hanging over their whole trip.

Dropping to her knees, Max curled up on the floor behind Chloe. She met no resistance when she wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist and leaned her head against her upper back.

For a minute, neither of them said a word. The melody on the Hi-Fi came to an end, and another sad song picked up on the tracklist. Max knew she'd smell like cannabis for the rest of the day, but she didn't care. She kept her grip on Chloe, holding on tight enough to let her know she was there.

Finally, Chloe muttered, "Rachel…"

"I'm sorry?"

"Fucking Rachel's living it up in LA." Chloe blew out another wave of smoke and stabbed out her joint into the ashtray by her head. "I spend months looking for that crazy bitch and _this_ is how she repays me? Flaunting her goddamn good looks on every magazine cover in the country? Well, fuck you very much, Miss Amber."

Max squeezed her a little harder. "Ouch."

"Sorry if I'm bringing you down, Super Max."

"It's not your fault." Max leaned up and kissed the back of Chloe's neck, brushing away the hair with her hand. "You deserve to be happy, Chloe. If that means letting you crash here tonight, go right ahead. Don't make yourself come out for just my sake."

Chloe giggled. When she turned back toward Max, she had that impish smile tattooed on her face. "I'm pretty sure I did _exactly_ that last year, sweetie. Or does that second kiss mean nothing to you?"

Max blushed. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." Chloe pinned Max to the floor by her wrists and proceeded to hug her from on top. "Thanks. I hella needed that."

Resting under the comfortable weight of her girlfriend, Max laughed and held her close. "Anytime."

* * *

Another day come and gone. Chloe dried off her hands in the apartment bathroom, removing the layer of grease from a BBQ beef sandwich she'd had at Ansel's. All things considered, it hadn't been a terrible night out with the girls—and Warren. No one seemed to mind that Chloe had barely said two words to anyone other than Max. They didn't hate her or judge her. All smiles and nostalgia trips for the evening.

Looking at the mirror, she examined her reflection. The bags under her eyes had grown a lot heavier. A few more lines on her cheeks and forehead than she recalled seeing a month ago. But it hadn't been living with—and loving—Max that had done that to her.

"Shit, you're stronger than that," Chloe told herself. She tried on one of her old devil-may-care grins and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, that's more like it. Fake it 'til you make it."

When she left the bathroom, Chloe was about two steps away from the bedroom, where she knew Max would already be getting into bed. Picturing that sweet angel nice and snug under the covers made Chloe's skin run with an electric current. She grinned for real and headed for the door—

"Bless you…"

Chloe froze. She looked over her shoulder, but there was no one there.

It took her a moment to register that the voice had come from down the hall. Going back that way, she peeked her head around the corner and saw Kate Marsh sitting on the couch, dressed in her pajamas. The girl had both hands clasped in prayer, her eyes closed and a radiant smile glued to her face.

For a long while, Chloe didn't say or do anything. She hung back and watched, remembering how much Kate used to be this way before her encounter with the Vortex Club.

 _Gotta be careful,_ she reminded herself. _I go down that train of thought, and then I'm gonna get mad thinking about that shit Nathan…_

She turned away to leave the girl in peace but froze again when she heard Kate say, "Chloe?"

"I'm not here." Chloe rubbed the back of her head when she spun around. "Don't let me interrupt or anything, 'kay?"

"No, it's fine." Kate smiled and scooted over to one end of the couch. She patted the cushion beside her. "Did you want to talk?"

"No, I'm…" Chloe licked her lips and let her hands dangle by her side. "Look, I know I've been a bit of a shitty host and I'm sorry 'bout that. Both you _and_ Max are heroes for even putting up with an asshole like me."

"I don't think you're an asshole, Chloe."

"Wow." Chloe grinned in spite of her mood. "Is that a dollar for the swear jar in your family?"

Kate laughed and put her hand over her mouth, but she didn't seem the least bit ashamed. Yet another surprise from the Christian girl that Chloe knew from school.

"Don't worry, I'm nowhere near as judging as people think I am." Kate patted her spot on the couch again. "If you want to talk, let's talk. I'm not ready to fall asleep just yet."

Chloe bit on her bottom lip. She imagined Max lying in their bed, curled up under the sheets. After today, she'd worry about Chloe's state of mind. But if she spoke to Kate, then she wouldn't have to worry at all. Nothing suspicious there.

Jeez. Chloe let out a long sigh. She was wound up so tight that she might as well be back home with Joyce and David Dickhead.

"Okay," she said. Crossing the room, Chloe took a seat next to Kate and crossed her arms. "I s'pose I'm down for a little therapy if you are."

"I'm not trying to psychoanalyze you." Kate leaned back on the couch and smiled. "I just want to be your friend tonight. That's all."

"You are a good friend, Kate. I don't say that enough."

"And you are, too, Chloe."

"Like hell I am." Looking back down the hallway, Chloe pictured Max turning and tossing in her sleep. Would her nightly torment be going early? And here she was, instead. Wasting her time with—

"No, I mean it." Kate spread her hands out. "I know what Max told me about you from before. I'm sorry for all the stuff you've been through, and I know you've felt abandoned. But that's not happening now, is it?"

Chloe turned on her, biting back a string of curses. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm done chasing after Rachel, okay? Jeez, can we just let that shit _go_ already?"

Kate nodded, but Chloe felt like such a bitch that her reaction didn't matter. She knew it was futile to keep focusing on the past. Max had taught her that, even though it took a week of tragedies and near-death experiences to get it through her rock-hard skull.

They didn't say anything for a moment or two. Chloe was tempted to get up and storm out. It was so easy. Just like she'd done in her parents' house whenever her spats with David got too heated, or Joyce refused to let the topic of the day slide. But that was Old Chloe. Bad Chloe, the punk girl who didn't give two shits about anyone or anything.

All New Chloe wanted was to be Max Caulfield's girlfriend. To prove herself worthy of that girl's love every single day.

"Hey," said Kate. She glanced at Chloe with a pensive gleam in her eye. "Did Max ever tell you that I was in therapy when they kept me at the hospital?"

A nauseous gurgle flared up in Chloe's stomach. "Er, yeah. She mentioned it once or twice, I think. But we don't have to talk about it if you don't—"

"No, it's all right. Dr. Grey told me it was okay to confront my pain. I was in a very dark place, Chloe, and the only way out was to end it all. Or so I thought." She pressed her hands over her heart, looking so very angelic. "Max showed me it didn't have to be that way. She gave me a reason to live."

Chloe smiled, even while she felt guilty for bringing up the suicide attempt. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"I know you do." Kate's voice sharpened. "I won't say I understand what you and Rachel had, or how it must've hurt when she left. But Max told me about how close you and your Dad were. I'd like to think my Dad and I had the same kind of bond."

Once again, the guilt was gnawing away at Chloe from the inside. She squeezed her eyes shut when she remembered that encounter with Max. Her would-be girlfriend and partner in crime, crying into Chloe's shirt, explaining how she'd changed the course of history for her. And the terrible price she'd paid for it.

 _I'm sorry, Chloe,_ she heard Max say through constant sobbing, clutching at her shoulders. _Oh, God, I'm so, so sorry. I never meant… I never thought…_

"Chloe?" Kate's hand was warm on her shoulder. "Do you need a tissue?"

"No, I—" Chloe stopped and lifted a hand to her eyes. She felt wet trails running down her cheeks. "Aw, shit. Not this again."

"It's okay."

"I'm usually so much better than this—"

"I know." Kate patted her shoulder. "Can I ask you something?"

Chloe wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Uh, sure."

"How do you feel when you think about Max?"

A carefree grin blossomed on Chloe's face, in spite of her tears. "Hella fucking happy."

"And when you think about Rachel?"

"I'm, well…" Chloe's grin faded. "Not so much. Pissed, usually." She waited for the buzz inside her head to settle and added, "She broke my heart, Kate. I pinned all my hopes on her and she… she left me without a second thought. Without even a simple goodbye."

"And that's why you locked yourself in the apartment today, isn't it?"

Chloe looked at the other girl, looking for that faux pity or scrutiny she'd seen on the faces of so many Blackwell Academy guidance counselors. But there wasn't any of that. Only a quiet, accepting expression. Like how Max looked whenever she spilled her guts out.

No wonder those two got along so well.

"It's how I roll, you know?" Chloe shrugged. "I'm not going to start attending church if that's where this conversation is going."

Kate shook her head. "It's not. Chloe, I'm just trying to help you appreciate something. When I was in the hospital, Dr. Grey helped me figure out something about my life. I put so much stock into my church and my family that I felt like any mistakes I made would ruin me for life. That's why I felt so helpless. And all the bullying from Victoria and the Vortex Club only reinforced those beliefs, until jumping from a rooftop seemed like the only sane thing to do."

Chloe winced. "I hear ya."

"You lashed out at the world and shut yourself off whenever you felt bad. Max said she saw the same thing happen when you two back together before the storm hit. It's a different reaction from what I did, but I think it's from the same source."

"And what's that?"

For once, Kate looked guilty. "That we're not worthy of being loved."

Chloe didn't say a word. She didn't move a muscle. She felt glued to the couch, as an eerie shiver ran down the length of her spine.

 _So if Max can rewind time,_ she wondered, _does that mean Kate's a goddamned psychic now?_

"How did you…?" Her voice failed, stuck on the lump rising in her throat. "I mean, it's not that simple—"

"I think it is, though." Kate took Chloe's hand. A shocking gesture for such a shy girl, but Chloe didn't resist. "Look, it doesn't make sense either, but it's that idea that gets rooted deep in our heads when we're young. We think we have to do all these things to make ourselves happy, but we're really trying to fit someone else's idea of happiness. For me, it was abut pleasing my parents and my church. For you, it's trying to fill the hole your dad left."

 _And for Max,_ Chloe added to herself, _it was trying to make_ me _happy._

It wasn't just losing her dad that made her feel so shitty. She remembered how much she loved—and hated—the way Max held her on the bedroom floor. How gentle and forgiving her girlfriend's touch was.

And every time, she felt like she didn't deserve it. All because she remembered how awful a friend she'd been when they found each other again.

"Then how does it get better?" Chloe looked at Kate, who still held onto her hand. "How did you, you know, figure it all out?"

Kate shrugged. "I didn't. I still haven't. But I take it slow, I pray when I'm feeling down, and I do more things that I enjoy. Things that help me _and_ make me happy." She tugged at a loose strand of hair. "Like my charity project."

"Only thing that's made me happy this whole year has been Max."

"I can see that. I'm so glad you two found a way to be together."

Chloe didn't say a word. She wanted to fire off a retort or a wisecrack about Kate's religion and what the Good Book said about lesbians. But that was Old Chloe talking. New Chloe didn't want any of that.

All she wanted was Max, and she was letting the ghost of Old Chloe drag her back down.

"Shit, you're a lot smarter than I ever gave you credit for." Chloe pulled Kate into a hug, surprised at how light the girl felt in her arms. Almost as skinny as Max. "And you're a great friend, Kate. Thanks for listening."

Kate returned the hug. "Anytime, Chloe. Anytime…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It was a beautiful summer morning, perfect for flying. Max kept both hands on the tablet as she guided Brooke's drone off the rooftop. She grimaced when the rotors gave out a sharp hiss and the drone wobbled in midair.

"No, no, more gradual," said Brooke. She grabbed the controller from Max. "Here, like this."

The drone stopped its shaking and leveled out. As Brooke adjusted her settings, the aircraft rose higher in a long, graceful arc their heads. With an encouraging smile, she handed it back to Max, who took a deep breath and tried again.

For the first unofficial meeting of the Lighthouse Corps, Max and Chloe had invited everyone to the roof of their apartment building. Even while she was turning over a new leaf, Chloe was still enough of a thief that she'd managed to sneak everyone upstairs one at a time. Their landlord would've had a fit about so many kids on the roof. But given all the family and tourist drama going on downstairs, there was little to no chance of anyone spotting the youth group so far up.

Max kept her focus on the tablet, but she couldn't ignore the other two women standing behind her. Chloe and Kate were speaking in hushed voices as she guided the drone a few feet south of the rooftop. But those were two voices that Max wanted to hear more than anything.

Warren glanced at Brooke. "What's the ceiling on this bad boy? Can we get a sweet panorama from 500 feet in the air?"

"Anything below 400 feet or else the feds step in," Brooke replied. She crossed her arms and shot Warren a knowing smirk. "Until our think tank gets that law changed, at least."

"Heck yeah! The L.C. is going to Washington!"

"Weirdo," Max heard Chloe stage-whisper to Kate. "Like a bunch of Oregon teens are gonna make Congress bow."

"Be nice," Kate whispered back. "You could be a little more enthusiastic for Max's sake."

Chloe went silent for a moment. Max didn't have to turn around to picture the impish smile on her face. Then Chloe clamped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Higher, Max! Higher! I wanna see ya make this _skyrocket,_ you hear?"

Max glanced over her shoulder. "Only if you say the magic words."

Clasping her hands together, Chloe leaned forward. "Pretty please?"

"Your wish is my flight plan."

A single finger stroke sent the drone veering upward. Holding up Brooke's tablet, Max dropped her head so everyone could crowd around and see her live feed.

"Oooh, pretty," said Stella, somewhere behind Alyssa and Warren. "That river…"

"And there's the Portland Art Museum." Warren pointed at the screen. "See?"

Max tapped a side button on the tablet, snapping up photos as she flew the drone around. She was thankful for this day. With the way the sunlight sparkled over the massive Willamette River and the storefronts of Downtown Portland, she was collecting quite the portfolio of aerial views that was sure to catch any local gallery's attention. But nothing could compare to the joy she felt from taking those photos with all her friends gathered around.

 _We've come quite a way from the shy camera girl phase, haven't we?_

Max grinned. "Hey, since we're all here, let's make this L.C. get-together official. Everybody look up and smile!"

Turning the drone around, Max pointed its camera back toward the rooftop. Using autofocus and zoom—things she never had to worry about with her vintage camera—she glanced up in time to look right at the drone and feel her way to the photo capture button on the tablet.

 _Click._

"Hella yes! This is gonna be awesome!" Chloe exclaimed. Max looked over to see her hugging Kate around the shoulders.

Her vision went blurry for a second. Max wiped at her eyes with one hand, trying to clear away whatever was there. When she pulled her hand away, she saw tears glistening on her fingers.

When she heard the distant _crack_ of a storm cloud, Max's head whipped up.

 _The clear blue skies were gone, replaced by a swirling gray maelstrom. The rooftop had given way to the vertical cliff, with only the high-intensity lamp of the nearby lighthouse to give her any chance of seeing her way toward the storm—_

"Hey, Max?" A hand reached out and touched her shoulder. "You okay?"

Max gasped. The world snapped back into reality around her.

She took a deep breath and clutched onto the hand on her shoulder. Kate's hand, she realized.

"I'm… fine," she said. Taking another breath, Max steadied herself and looked over at her friends, all of whom wore expressions of concern. "Sorry, I think the…" She waved the tablet feebly in front of her. "Think I need to go back downstairs. Being this high up is starting to affect me."

"Don't even worry," Brooke replied. She took the tablet from Max and gave her a quick side hug. "Do you think you can walk on your own?"

"Er, I think so…"

Chloe was at Max's side in an instant. She slipped Max's arm across her shoulders for support. "We'll take it slow, all right? Nothing to worry about."

Of course, that was a lie. Only Max could hear the tiniest quaver in Chloe's otherwise confident tone. It didn't spook her, though. Quite the opposite, in fact. A reassuring character quirk in this strange new land she called home.

"Guys, it's just a mild reaction," Max said out loud. She glanced over her shoulder and winked at the group as Chloe led her back to the stairwell. "Give me a few minutes downstairs and then we'll grab some lunch, 'kay?"

* * *

With every step they took back to the apartment, Max was looking worse. Kate prayed that she'd be all right, but what she saw on her friend's face scared her.

That same look had been on Kate's face when she covered up the mirror in her dorm room. Even now, thinking about that horrible night was enough to send shivers down her back.

When Chloe unlocked the apartment door, Max almost tripped over the threshold going in. Only a last-minute grab from behind by Kate prevented her from faceplanting on the carpet. Chloe and the others raced forward, trying to grab hold of Max, but Kate's grip was iron tight.

"Whoa, easy now," said Chloe. She waved back the group. "Give her some space."

"Err…" Max blinked and looked over at Kate. "Kate, why are you…?"

"I think you should stay here." Kate all but lifted her off her feet and escorted her to the living room. Heading straight to the couch, she sat Max down and put her hand on the girl's forehead.

Warmer than she expected, but Max's face was still full of color. Kate wondered if she wasn't looking at a physical reaction, but rather a psychological one.

A hand fell on Kate's shoulder. When she looked up, Chloe was hovering over her, her face twisted with horror and concern. "Tell me she's okay."

"I think she'll be fine." Kate bit her lip, trying to remember more details from her sessions with Dr. Grey. _Please, Max, be okay for me…_ "But she needs rest more than anything."

Everyone else nodded. Warren, in particular, shoved his hands into his pockets and added, "Hey, Max. Don't sweat it. We'll keep the Lighthouse party rolling 'til you feel better."

"Thanks," Max groaned. She put a hand to the side of her face and grimaced. "That… means a lot, guys. Sorry to bring you down like this."

Meanwhile, Chloe winked at Kate. "It's cool. I got this." Then, turning to the other Blackwell graduates, she put on her devil-may-care grin and said, "Hey, you heard Warren! Let's keep this party rolling! I know the perfect hole in the wall that does the best tequila shots and tacos this side of Oregon!"

Without giving them a chance to refuse, Chloe shepherded the gang out of the apartment. Giving Kate and Max one last look over her shoulder, she blew them a kiss and shut the door behind her.

Sitting down beside Max, Kate grabbed her with both hands and squeezed. "You're going to be fine, Max. I'm here for whatever you need."

"I need my head to stop spinning," Max quipped. With a chuckle, she looked at Kate and added, "You didn't have to stay."

"I want to know that you're okay." Kate hugged Max to her chest. "I wouldn't have made it through that hospital stay if it hadn't been for you."

Max sniffled and wiped at her nose. "Thank you."

"Are you hungry? I could whip up something in the kitchen."

"Not right now, thanks. Just stay with me a little longer." Max's arms tightened around Kate's chest.

Kate smiled, remembering their tearful hug in the rain on a different rooftop. She kissed the top of Max's head and closed her eyes. Nothing else mattered but this. A long, quiet moment with a beautiful friend, given to her by God.

* * *

Late into the evening, after all their friends had gone, and Kate had curled up for an early bedtime on the couch, Max and Chloe headed for their bedroom and closed the door tight. Within minutes, the two girls had stripped down to their undergarments and turned the lights off.

Lying together on top of their bed, Max reached out for Chloe's hand and squeezed it. "Thanks for today. You were wonderful."

Chloe blushed. "Aren't I always?" Then, after a short pause: "You know, Kate's been good for us. I wouldn't have guessed we'd need a third wheel around here, but…"

"You're falling for her." Max grinned and flipped onto her side, so she could look her girlfriend in the eye. "Should I be worried?"

Chloe snorted and yanked Max closer to her. "Not in a million years, hippie." She leaned her head up and kissed the tip of Max's nose. "I may like our resident Jesus freak, but she can't hold a candle to you."

Max retaliated with a kiss to Chloe's cheek. "Good answer."

"That being said…" Chloe kept a tight, massaging grip on Max's hand as she lay back and looked up at the ceiling. "She has been talking about going to college out here. If that's the case, it wouldn't be bad to have another Arcadia Bay veteran as a roommate…"

It took a second for those words to register in Max's head. When they did, she pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked down at Chloe. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, come on, Caulfield." Chloe's grin was adorable even in the shadows. "Don't most same-sex couples adopt a cute little kid after a while?"

"She's not a little kid, Che."

"Doesn't mean we can't be better parents than the ones she's got."

"Her dad's actually quite nice." Max remembered the text messages she'd shared with him after rescuing Kate from her suicide attempt. All her impressions about Mr. Marsh had been confirmed when they met at the Blackwell graduation ceremony: a tall, slightly reserved, but warmhearted man. Seeing him dote over Kate in her cap and gown had been one of the five best memories she had from that day.

Number One on that list was reserved for the embarrassment on Chloe's face when she'd gone to see Max's parents. Max had relished correcting her mother's assessment of Chloe as "your friend from school" as "my girlfriend."

Max was still smiling about that memory when Chloe flipped herself around and snuggled up against her girlfriend. "You know what I mean, Max. So, can we adopt her already?" She batted her eyelashes. "Pretty please?"

With a sigh, Max pulled Chloe into a hug. "Fine. I'll make sure she eats and take her shopping, but you have to keep an eye on her and scare off all the boys that come near her. Deal?"

Chloe laughed. "Deal!"

They shared another kiss. And then another. And another. Max let out a tiny whimper as Chloe proceeded to leave a trail of kisses down the side of her face and neck. Feeling the other girl's stomach press against hers, Max reached around Chloe's waist and teased her fingers along the waistband of her boy shorts.

"Ooh, aren't we frisky?" Chloe dropped her head down for another kiss, going deeper on the side of Max's neck. With one hand on her shoulder, she slid her other hand farther down.

"Mmph, wait—"

"It's okay. I'll be gentle."

"I—ooh…" Max bit her lower lip in anticipation. "Just… I don't want to wake Kate…"

"Heh heh." Chloe leaned up for another kiss. "You'll be fine, Max. Just lie back and enjoy it. I know what I'm doing…"

* * *

A few minutes later, Max's head fell back against her pillow. She gasped and wiped the sweat from her brow, feeling her heart racing a mile a minute.

Chloe snuggled up against her, also glistening with sweat, but grinning like a loon. "See? Nothing… to fear…"

Max giggled and wrapped her arm around Chloe's shoulders. They lay together in silence, catching their breath and enjoying the quiet darkness of their room. Once, Max would've said the moment was like when they used to have sleepovers as kids. Except they'd never done anything so intimate in bed, not even to experiment.

And for that, Max was glad. She could appreciate every private moment with Chloe to the fullest now that they were a couple.

Her eyelids were getting heavy, and Max would've dropped to sleep in a heartbeat in this moment of bliss. _Marital bliss,_ Chloe would've joked, _if it were legal in this state…_

But she had a nightly ritual to complete first.

Letting go of Chloe, Max slid off her side of the bed and got up. She made her way into the bathroom and turned on the lights. Waiting for her eyes to adjust the sudden brightness, she opened the medicine cabinet and looked inside.

Sitting on the top shelf was a tiny prescription bottle of pills. Prazosin, said the label.

Max shook out a pair of pills and swallowed them dry. She chased them down with a handful of water straight from the tap. Not the cleanest option in her mind, but it was better than nothing.

It was Chloe who'd brought up the idea of Max visiting a mental health professional, long before they'd even left Arcadia Bay. Without going into the details of her time powers—or the events that caused her to lose them—Max had gotten a preliminary diagnosis of PTSD. After two sessions, she came home with a prescription.

By Chloe's reckoning, the nightmares had gotten less frequent over the last few months. Max had to admit that she also felt less anxious during the day. So many times, her heart would race, and she'd step away from a conversation or a confrontation, becoming the shy cliché geek that everyone had pegged her as from her first day at Blackwell. But it was a combination of exploring her inner bravery and letting the prazosin drop her blood pressure that helped Max find a little more peace day by day.

 _Not to mention,_ she thought, _getting to sleep and hold hands with the hottest girl in town._

As she closed the cabinet, Max looked at her reflection. Her face was a little pale, but not so much that she had to worry. Everything was better now. She floated in a tiny little world of light and soft noises.

"Wowsers," she whispered. "What a day…"

She floated back through the door, hitting the light switch on the way out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Not since the day they'd moved in had Max seen so much activity in the apartment. Even Chloe's attempts to thrash to some retro-punk couldn't compare. With her legs tucked underneath her, Max took another sip from her mug of tea and watched as Kate and Warren sat on the floor beside the coffee table. The two kids were animated and gesturing, going through Warren's thick stack of science notes and comparing them to the drawings that Kate had produced for her children's book concept.

Meanwhile, closer toward the kitchen, Chloe cracked open a six-pack of beers. Her shit-eating grin was enough to convince the two latest arrivals, Evan Harris and Daniel DaCosta, to take a pair of beers themselves. And so the two young men accepted, both looking quite awkward as Chloe downed her drink in a long swig. Max giggled from behind her mug as she watched them.

If nothing else, they were a welcome distraction from the clutter of photographs that lay at the foot of the couch. Max reluctantly slid her gaze down to the pile. Photos of squirrels and birds, with one or two panoramic shots of Portland from the apartment rooftop. Not that she'd gotten so much practice with the wide-angle shots. Like Victoria had once said, her gift had been taking selfies.

 _I wonder what she'd think about this whole project,_ Max reflected. She picked up a photo of a bluejay on a tree branch and flipped it back and forth. _She'd probably refuse to join if I asked…_

To their credit, Max and Victoria had left Blackwell on better terms than they'd ever expected. Having survived the trials of the Dark Room and the Vortex Club, they'd emerged with a healthy dose of mutual respect. To the best of her memory, Max recalled a news item—sent ahead by Juliet Watson—that Victoria's photos had earned a spot in a small San Francisco gallery.

 _Still…_ Max dropped her photo and selected another from the pile. _It's better than the low-key stuff I've been doing._

"Ooh, this one!" Warren grabbed a sketch from Kate and pointed at one edge. "I could do a whole thing on the water cycle with this happy cloud dude! Like, ten pages!" He frowned. "Or is that too much? Err, not too sure how many pages a kid's book needs."

Kate giggled and took the paper back. "We'll figure that out later. But I like the idea so far."

Every time she smiled, Max's heart skipped a beat. Even after the terrors of the Dark Room, Kate had proven herself to be a shining beacon of hope in the world. Max considered her a friend in every sense of the word.

 _She deserves to know,_ a tiny voice whispered in the back of her head. _She deserves the truth._

Max closed her eyes. She could see it all happening again. Reaching out for Kate's hand on the rooftop. Groaning to rewind time after she let David get away with bullying her outside the dorms. The party. The junkyard. The storm. The gunshot. All whipping across her mind at a frantic pace that threatened to—

 _Stop it,_ Max told herself.

She took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds. The memories paused.

 _Be strong for Chloe,_ she thought. _Be strong for Kate._

Letting out her breath, Max felt the anxiety spike drop as quickly as it had risen. She opened her eyes and looked at the living room of her apartment.

Nothing had changed. No one had even noticed her little episode. All smiles and chatter, just like before.

Chloe hadn't brought it up, but after her diagnosis, Max had known about this possibility. Being around so many familiar faces was dangerous, especially closer to night. At night, all her worst fears came out to play. Every awful instance of that night in the junkyard would come screaming out from her subconscious, and she'd be reliving the ultimate nightmare in a loop.

She had to remember moments like this one. The quiet, well-lit moments with her friends. Whom she loved more than anything else, and who she knew would love her back.

"Ahh, that is good!" Daniel's voice from the kitchen broke Max's trance. She looked over and saw the young artist bending over a sketchbook on the countertop.

"Mm, quite," Evan added. He adjusted his glasses before giving Chloe an approving smile. "I wouldn't go so far as to call it in the style of Roy Lichtenstein, but it's getting there."

"What's up?" asked Max. She set down her mug on the table and wandered over from the sofa.

Blushing, Chloe looked away. "It's nothing."

"No, really, you're quite talented!" Daniel held up the sketchbook for Max. "Don't you agree?"

On the page was a hastily-drawn portrait of Max in her Rachel Amber outfit. Chloe had updated Max's appearance with a flaming skull t-shirt, combat boots, and an explosion in the background. Like any good artist, she'd signed her name at the lower right-hand corner and added a caption in red ink.

 _She Will Make The World Bow_

Max covered her mouth with her hand when she chuckled. As expected, it only made Chloe blush even harder.

"Hey, it _is_ good," said Max.

"It's not exactly headed for the Louvre either," Chloe retorted. She snatched the sketchbook away from Daniel. "Just something I drew 'cuz I was bored, you know?"

"Can I see?" asked Kate, now getting up from the floor.

"Yeah, I bet it's good!" Warren added.

Max had to bite down on her tongue to keep from laughing. Between everyone's enthusiasm and Chloe's rising embarrassment, she was going to lose it.

Still, watching Chloe try to avoid compliments was touching. Already, Evan and Daniel were trying to steer the discussion toward a photorealistic art collaboration, while Kate was all but jumping over Chloe, begging her to work with her and Warren on their children's book.

When Chloe glanced to the side at Max, she shook her head with a wistful smile. "Damn kids, am I right?"

"You know you love it, sweetheart."

* * *

Dinner eventually followed. Despite the gentle airs of the Orange Lotus Café, Max found that Ansel's Diner, with its rock n' roll posters and jukebox, was quickly becoming the go-to hangout spot for her Lighthouse Corps. She thanked the heavens that her group included science and math geeks like Warren and Brooke. Trying to divide up the bill between nine people wasn't quite the headache that she expected.

Chloe looked happy now that she was in the midst of the gang. Max liked tracking her every interaction, like when she laughed at one of Brooke's sardonic remarks or talked sketches and penmanship with Daniel. You could tell by her body language. That tough girl stiffness in her neck was slowly fading away with every moment they spent together.

Max pushed away her plate, unable to finish the rest of her garlic fries. When she leaned back against the booth cushion, her elbow bumped into something.

"Oh, sorry!" Max and Kate said in unison. When the two girls looked at each other, time froze for a second.

Then they burst out laughing. Max reached over and hugged Kate around the waist.

"Max, I can't thank you enough," Kate whispered. The Wombats song that was blaring from the jukebox nearly drowned out her voice, but Max made an effort to catch every precious word. "You don't know how much this means to me after what happened. All those nights, all that despair… I couldn't even imagine…"

Seeing her face drop, Max held her close again. "Kate, it's fine. You being here is a huge comfort for all of us. Not just me and Chloe."

A tiny smile flashed across the other girl's face. "That's sweet of you to say, but I don't think I've done all that much—"

"Yes, you have." Max closed her eyes for a moment. She remembered Kate in the hospital. Sweet little Kate Marsh, drawing on a piece of paper and talking about forgiveness. Only hours after Max, in another timeline, had agreed to the decision to end Chloe's suffering with a dose of morphine. Only hours after she had let William Price die again.

"You've helped us just by existing. We can't feel bad when we look at you, Kate."

"Same here, Max."

"Hey, girls!" Stella's voice from the other end of the table drew their attention. She held up her phone and grinned. "Group photo!"

Kate dropped her head on Max's shoulder as they smiled for the camera.

 _Flash._

* * *

At close to midnight, it was just the three of them heading back to the apartment. Max and Kate kept a few paces behind Chloe, who carried two bags full of leftovers in one hand. She swung the bags back and forth, whistling some melody Max didn't recognize right away. But that didn't matter because the nighttime air was cool and refreshing. Everywhere she looked, she saw the comforting glow of the Portland skyline and silhouettes of elm trees lining the streets.

After riding the elevator upstairs, Chloe unlocked their door and switched on the lights. She carried her bags over the threshold and sauntered into the kitchen. "Hella yes! This grub oughta last us for a week!"

"Knowing you," Max replied, "it'll be closer to three days."

Chloe stuck her head out into the hallway, grinning. "It's true. My appetite outweighs my math."

Chuckling, Max led Kate back to the living room while their roommate rustled about the kitchen. Kate took a seat on the couch while Max unfolded the blanket she underneath the side table. Appropriately, it was a soft blue blanket covered with cute bunny patterns. She'd known Kate would love it the moment she saw it.

As she laid the blanket out, Max couldn't stop thinking about the time she helped Kate down from the roof. All the tears they'd cried and the slow steps they took through the domitory, knowing that the paramedics were waiting right outside. In her mind's eye, everything was a painful gray blur.

 _Just like the storm,_ a voice in her mind whispered. _Tell her already._

 _She doesn't need it,_ Max snapped. _Look at that smile!_

 _Confession's good for the soul…_

Max sat down beside Kate on top of the blanket. She noticed the other girl's smile and it broke her heart imagining how long she'd been kept in the dark. Even while in the hospital, this angel had been quick to support Max and Chloe in their investigation. She hadn't even hesitated. And Max became all the more convinced that some higher power was guiding them because she'd saved Kate Marsh's life.

 _We make our own destiny…_

"Hey, Kate?" Max turned to the girl and took her by the hand. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Max. What is it?"

A sound like thunder distracted Max for a second. She shook her head to dispel it. "Well, this might be a painful subject to bring up, but… how much do you remember about last October?"

Kate tilted her head. "Um, all of it." When Max looked down, she felt the other girl's hands tighten. "It's okay, Max. I'm not in a bad place anymore. I can talk about what I went through."

"Okay." Max looked up at her, searching the cute girl's face for something. She didn't know what exactly. Forgiveness, possibly. "What I want to ask is… how much do you remember about _me_ from that time?"

"Everything!" Kate's face lit up and she pulled Max closer, almost hugging her. "I'm _so_ grateful that you stood by me when no one else would. You're the reason I found my faith again, Max. I'll never forget what you did!"

"Right…" Taking another deep breath, Max prepared herself for the worst. "You see, Kate, there's something you should know about that. There's a reason I was able to help you the way I did. Like how I made it to the rooftop before anyone else even bothered." She looked Kate in the eye and added, "It's because I—"

Nothing else came out of her mouth. Probably because, at that precise moment, Kate's lips were pressed up against hers.

"Mmph… Kate!" Max put her hand on her friend's shoulder and gently pushed back. She gasped for air and blinked. Several times in rapid succession. "Whoa…"

"I-I'm sorry!" Kate buried her face in her hands. "I misread the signals, didn't I? I always thought you had a crush, but I never… I-I didn't mean to—"

Suddenly, Max understood a lot more about Kate Marsh than she'd ever realized. Like why Max was the only one of their friends to bring out a real smile in Kate during her darkest hours. And why Max was the only person Kate had ever noticeably hung out with back at school. And how she'd always cherished their little tea breaks after class.

But her epiphany was short-lived. Max looked over Kate's shoulder and flinched.

" _Kate!_ "

Chloe's voice cut through the room like breaking glass. She stood in the threshold of the living room, blocking the light from the kitchen. Her fists curled at her sides and she stalked toward the couch with murderous intent written across her face. Kate recoiled into the couch, but before Max could shield her, Chloe reached out and yanked the poor girl off her seat and onto the floor.

"Get the fuck out," Chloe hissed. Stabbing a finger at the door, she added, "Get your things and get the hell outta here before I do something I regret."

Only Max could hear the sob in Chloe's voice. Kate sobbed as well, a pitiful cry of pain that tore Max's heart in half. She sat on the couch, utterly helpless as she watched Kate scramble to her feet, grab her suitcase and purse in a mad dash, and beat a path to the front door.

"Wait—!" Max lifted a hand to stop her—or was it to rewind? She couldn't tell anymore. The air wasn't full of noise and motion like when she messed with time before. Why didn't it work now when she needed it the most?

Chloe stood with her arms crossed as the door slammed shut behind Kate. "Good riddance."

Max barely heard her. All she could see was red, but she couldn't make time go back again.

Why couldn't she fix this?

"Are—are you okay?" Chloe's voice turned gentle as she fell onto the couch beside Max. "Hey, Max, c'mon. Talk to me. I'm sorry you had to see that, but I'm not letting anyone take you away from me again."

"Chloe…" Max buried her face in her hands, trying to keep the tears from hitting the sofa. "I… oh my God…"

"Come here." Chloe pulled her into a hug, crushing Max's face into her bosom. "Hey, we'll get past this stupid shit, just like we always do. It's you and me against the world, y'know? And we're gonna make it bow."

Max wanted to believe her. She wanted to believe in _something._ But all she could see what Kate's anguished face as she ran out of the apartment. Like just watching her hit the pavement outside the dormitory. Over and over and over again…

 _I think my helping is hurting._

She'd said that to another Chloe. To the Chloe who couldn't move a single muscle below her neck, who'd begged Max to let her die on her own terms. Every time Max tried to make things better, she only made things worse. Even bringing all her old friends out from school was becoming a challenge to her mental health. More reminders of that traumatic week in October. More people whom she'd helped and hurt in different timelines, rewinding back and forth across a string of choices that never seemed perfect.

Resting in Chloe's arms had never hurt Max until now. She felt ashamed at how her girlfriend was comforting her.

Who would be there for poor Kate Marsh if not Max Caulfield?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Watching the moonlight come in through Stella and Alyssa's hotel room was a small comfort to Kate. After the depression she'd faced last year, she knew better than to cover up her windows or mirrors. That would only reinforce her negative feedback loop, to borrow Dr. Grey's words. Instead, she sat in an armchair across the room from the bed; Stella had been kind enough to offer a spare blanket for Kate to wrap around herself. It was about as soft as the one Max had given her at the apartment.

 _I'm sorry, Max._ The words built up in the back of her throat, never to be uttered aloud. Kate closed her eyes, fighting back more tears. She'd cried herself out by the time she made it to the hotel where her friends were staying.

It was just after two in the morning. Her phone was still flooded with text messages from the other members of the Lighthouse Corps. Unable to sleep, Kate had spent an hour and a half reading them when she wasn't praying to God and the saints for guidance and comfort.

 **Warren:** _yo, kate, don't sweat it_

 **Warren:** _we've got your back_

 **Brooke:** _kate I am so sorry about this_

 **Brooke:** _pls come see us if you need to talk_

 **Brooke:** _room 221_

 **Brooke:** _xoxoxo_

 **Daniel:** _no te preocupes, Kate_

 **Daniel:** _we're not abandoning you_

 **Daniel:** _¡tu eres un fuego eterno!_

 **Dana:** _kate!_

 **Dana:** _evan just texted me!_

 **Dana:** _pls be ok sweetie_

 **Dana:** _I'm here to talk if you need a friend_

 **Dana:** _you matter to a lot of us!_

Reading over each new text, she could hear their voices perfectly. Hearing their reassurance made Kate smile, which made her feel ready to cry again. But it didn't hurt like before. She remembered the quiet darkness of her dorm room at Blackwell. The mirror she'd covered up, the poor bunny she'd neglected, and the horrible things she drew when she couldn't sit still any longer.

And she was never going back there. Not when she had friends who cared.

Looking out the open window, Kate watched the twinkling lights of the city skyline. Even in the dead of night, Portland was still beautiful. This neighborhood was alive and well, from the people grabbing a meal at the local diner down the block to the kids who came out in droves from the row of bars and clubs a mile away. Instead of feeling alone and scared, she took some solace in knowing that the whole world hadn't ended just because of a single fight.

Looking back at her phone, Kate checked again for new messages. She'd been hoping for a new text alert from one number in particular.

But Max hadn't said a word yet. At this rate, Kate wondered if she was ever going to reply. It was just as well, she supposed. Thinking about her response only made Kate picture her kind, loving smile and the way they hugged whenever they met.

"It's better this way," Kate told herself. "See you soon, Max."

She took a deep breath, held it for two seconds, then let it out slowly. As she did, she hit the power button on her phone and snuggled under the blanket for warmth.

Tomorrow would be better. They'd sort things out as any two friends would.

* * *

Watching the moonlight from their bedroom window, Max couldn't sleep. She stared at the celestial object, trying to make sense of her world. When she looked over at Chloe, who slept on her side and facing Max, she felt like she understood that aspect of her reality. As wild and carefree as she could be, Chloe was a constant source of joy in Max's life. Hearing her voice made everything better, from visions of earth-shattering storms to the long car ride from Arcadia Bay to Portland.

 _Get the fuck out. Get your things and get the hell outta here before I do something I regret…_

As she replayed the memory over and over in her mind, Chloe's voice still hurt. Max was too frayed and tattered to fall asleep. She kept seeing poor, sweet Kate running out of the apartment. Kept begging her to wait, imagining herself talking to Chloe and fixing everything with a few words.

That was all it took before. A few words in the right direction, all made possible by lifting her right hand and focusing on the people she loved most.

Max's arm was sore from how long she kept holding it up. She could've sworn at one point that she saw two moons outside instead of one—just like on the night of the last Vortex Club party.

The night where everything went so horribly wrong.

More than anything, she wanted to know if Kate was all right. She was positive that their friends would have taken her in already, but Max had to see the girl for herself. To hear her voice and hold her close. She'd listen to whatever she had to say, no matter how awkward it was for the both of them. No matter how much Chloe raged against it.

But she couldn't go back and fix it.

"Don't go back," Max whispered to herself. "Go forward."

Moving gently, so as to not wake Chloe, Max got out of bed and crept over to the closet. She pulled on a pair of blue jeans and the first gray hoodie she could find. Picking up her sneakers, she snuck out of the bedroom and down the hallway.

A minute later, Max was wandering downstairs in the lobby of the apartment complex. At two in the morning, no one was hanging out near the front desk except for Mikey, the landlord's twenty-something nephew with the fauxhawk hairdo and ripped jeans. He glanced up from his tablet at Max and offered a quiet nod as she headed through the front door.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Max felt like a heavy weight had been lifted away. Her eyes adjusted to the dim aurora coming from nearby street lamps and began to walk up the block, headed vaguely in the direction of the Orange Lotus. The café would be closed, but that was fine. She only needed to clear her head.

With any luck, she'd be back before Chloe was awake.

* * *

Drifting back from the edge of sleep, Chloe couldn't quite figure out what was wrong. She remembered holding Max while she cried and then they'd gone to bed without a word. A long series of bizarre dreams followed, and the next thing she knew, she was waking up a little colder than before.

Chloe blinked her eyes a few times. Her hand wandered over to pat Max's shoulder and found nothing there.

Eyes widening, Chloe nearly cried out when she saw that Max's side of the bed was empty. She immediately sat up and took a long breath.

And that was when she realized she wasn't having another dream.

"Oh, shit." Chloe swung her legs off the side of the bed and headed for the hallway door. She searched the apartment from top to bottom, but there was no sign of Max.

Once or twice in the previous month, she would sometimes find Max sitting up with a mug of coffee or tea, staring at the wall in one of her moods. Chloe had always been ready with an offer to sit and talk. Usually, all Max needed was to hold her girlfriend's hand, and after a few minutes she'd be ready to go back to sleep. They'd share one last kiss before getting back into bed, and Chloe would hold her to keep the nightmares at bay.

That was their routine. It wasn't healthy, but to hell with that. It worked for them.

When she made it to the front door, Chloe found it unlocked. Her heart sank, and she raced back to the bedroom.

Probably nothing to worry about. Max was out for a late-night walk. She'd be okay.

 _Please be okay…_

Back in their room, Chloe dug through her jacket and grabbed her phone. She hit the first number on her contacts list and waited for the call to go through.

 _Please be okay…_

She froze when she heard a buzzing from underneath the bed.

With quick, anxious steps, Chloe made her way to Max's side of the room and looked down. Lying on the floor was her phone, now with a missed call notice on the touchscreen.

"Fuck me!" Chloe slammed her phone onto the bed and dropped to her knees. "Fucking goddamnit, Max! Don't do this to me!" She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling tears leaking down her cheeks. "Don't leave me…"

This wasn't another of Max's little episodes. It was because of what Kate had done earlier—what Kate and Max had done together—that set her off. Kate should've known better. She couldn't charm her way into everyone's life like—

 _Like how Max did for me,_ a tiny voice in her head finished.

Now the tears were falling fast. And Chloe hated it.

She was supposed to be better than this. The rockstar chick who rolled up in her truck, saving the day with Super Max at her side. Not some blubbering idiot on the bedroom floor. Joyce and William Price didn't have much, but they hadn't raised Chloe to be a poor little victim either. Not in this timeline.

She couldn't sit and feel sorry for herself. She'd had done plenty of that in Arcadia Bay.

It was time to get moving. And as Chloe donned her familiar coat and blue jeans, she knew she had someone to call.

* * *

On the verge of dozing off, Kate sat upright when someone pounded on the door. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the shadows of the hotel room. She saw silhouettes of Stella and Alyssa as they jolted themselves out of a deep slumber.

Three more heavy knocks at the front door, followed by a muffled cry: " _C'mon, wake up! Please! Max needs you!_ "

In a heartbeat, Kate threw off her blanket and raced to unlock the door. Standing in the corridor outside was Chloe Price, for once not wearing her trademark beanie in public. She hugged herself and leaned against the doorframe with a face lined with worry.

For a split second, Kate allowed herself a little relief. If Chloe was worried instead of angry, that meant she hadn't shown up to chew her out some more. She could only take so much hostility in a single evening.

Her relief dissipated when she heard Chloe say, "Please, I… I need your help. Max is gone, and she left her phone behind."

Kate put her hands to her lips. "Oh, Chloe. I'm so sorry."

Stella came up behind Kate, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Then she turned to Chloe. "Did Max say anything before she left?"

"Not a damn thing." Chloe tucked a loose strand of hair behind one ear. "Fuck. Look, I know it's my fault she's gone. And I don't know what her headspace must be like, so… so we just gotta find her before something bad happens."

Kate bit her bottom lip. "And you want _my_ help?"

"She's probably pissed at me, but I don't think she'll be upset if you show up."

Her first instinct was to say she wasn't that special, but looking back, Kate knew she had a point. When she thought about Max, she noticed how the girl's demeanor would change whenever she spoke to Kate. Her voice would soften, and her eyes would light up. Even in the worst stages of her depression, being around Max and talking to her had been a blessed window of light and air that made Kate remember the world outside her suffering, if only for a moment.

Meanwhile, Alyssa stared down Chloe with a glare that could make plants wither and die. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Chloe matched her stare with a cool gaze. Crossing her arms over her chest, she answered, "Any chance we can postpone this fight? Really bad timing tonight."

"So was kicking out Kate!"

"I'm _sorry!_ There! Happy?"

"You need to apologize to _her!_ "

"She knows what she did—!"

Kate stepped between the two girls, cutting another Chloe's remark; one more word and they'd be coming to blows. She glanced at Alyssa, then at Chloe, and waited for them to catch a breath and cool off.

When silence prevailed again, Kate cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to get involved, but we need to focus on what's important. We _all_ want to make sure Max's safe." Sliding her eyes toward Chloe, she added, "And if it helps finding her, then I'll admit that I'm sorry I kissed her, too. It was a stupid mistake, and I'll never get between the two of you ever again."

For a moment, Kate was certain that Chloe was about to smile in relief. She watched the other girl's lips curve up toward a smile. Then she winced and rubbed at the back of her head.

"Geez," said Chloe. "Way to make me feel like a total bitch. Now I'm gonna owe Max an apology for losing my shit earlier."

"You've every right to feel upset." Kate took Chloe by both hands and looked her in the eye. "She's your girlfriend."

In her peripheral vision, Kate noticed a look of surprise growing on Alyssa's face. Of course, she hadn't seen what Kate had seen earlier that week: Chloe's vulnerable side. She hadn't seen the blue-haired girl sitting on the couch and admitting that the _only thing that's made me happy this whole year has been Max._ But then, few others ever got to see Chloe without her shield. She'd been labeled a troublemaker in the same way Kate had been labeled a "viral slut" and a preachy Christian back at school.

"Hey." Chloe pulled her hands back and regarded Kate with almost a smile. "This doesn't have to be a thing tonight. And you can come back to the apartment as soon as we find Max." She looked over at Alyssa and added, "Though I totally get why if you don't feel it. And I respect that."

Kate nodded. Looking back at Alyssa, her mind began to race with a thousand horrible ideas of what might've happened to Max. Especially if it meant that Max was alone and scared, or even trapped with a madman like Kate herself had been.

But she refused to let those fantasies take over. Max _would_ be fine.

 _Be productive, not reactive,_ as Dr. Grey would've said.

"I'm going with Chloe," said Kate. "I promise we'll find Max."

Alyssa nodded. "Anything you want me to do?"

"Please, text everyone about what happened." Kate's mind whirred into action, imagining all her friends springing out of bed and roaming the streets. "We'll need help from Warren, Brooke… anyone who knows Portland and can help us figure out where Max has gone."

"And the sooner we can find her before the police do, the better," Chloe added. She grabbed Kate by the hand and led her down the corridor.

* * *

Max's path led her away from the café and a few blocks east of Montgomery. When she heard the sound of trickling water, she followed it toward an open park. Lovejoy Fountain Park, she remembered. A tiny little corner that drew more tourists with their cameras, with one or two disaffected locals in skinny jeans hanging out for a smoke.

She and Chloe had come her a few times in their first week in the city. They would wander from one gushing artificial waterfall to another, holding hands and cracking jokes about sharks and otters as they wasted another afternoon together. Being near the fountains brought back memories of the night they snuck into the Blackwell pool for a midnight swim, not to mention the evening strolls they'd taken along the beach.

Looking back, Max had no idea why their favorite hangouts always seemed to involve a nearby body of water. Once, she would've said it was their destiny.

 _Once,_ Max thought, _I would've said I fulfilled my destiny. But the movies never tell you what happens after you ride off into the sunset…_

She sat on a low stone bench, staring down at her reflection in the pool. It was dark in the plaza; long shadows stretched out in all directions, with the only ambient light radiating from street lamps and lonely apartment windows. Not even in the moon was visible enough from this angle—another thing that she missed from Arcadia Bay, even though she was glad to be rid of that place.

She'd have never gotten away from the nightmares if she'd stayed. Chloe knew that all along.

"I love you, Chloe," Max whispered. Her eyes fell half-shut. "And I love you, too, Kate. Is it wrong that I just want all of us to be happy together?"

In her mind's eye, Max saw Kate standing on the rooftop of the girls' dorm, threatening to jump. She saw Chloe on the cliff outside the lighthouse, issuing a death sentence to the whole town.

 _Blink._ In an instant, there was Kate, crying into Max's t-shirt as the rain fell over them.

 _Blink._ And there was Chloe breaking down into an emotional wreck when they found the body in the junkyard. Screaming _What kind of world does this?_

Max knew the answer to that question. Far better than she ever wanted to know. The image of a loaded syringe flashed through her mind. She hugged herself against a rising shudder.

She supposed that was why she wanted to start the Lighthouse Corps. Not only because she wanted to build an alternative to the Vortex Club. Not only because she wanted to bring her closest friends from school back together. But because Max wanted to build a better world and leave her mark outside Arcadia Bay.

To make the world bow, as Chloe would say.

Looking back at the water, Max wanted to have Chloe show up. It would have been so perfect, having Chloe running up and chew her out for leaving the apartment like that. Then they'd hug and the night would end with them curled up under a blanket on the couch.

Maybe that was all Max needed. A little distance from Kate and they'd be fine.

When she got up from the bench, Max began to realize that she wasn't alone in the park. On the street, not a few yards away, a young man in a knit cap was slamming his car door. She stood for a moment and listened to him turning the key in the ignition. His engine let out a pitiful whine as he tried again and again to make the car start. Max felt terrible for him and wished she knew a little more about cars so she could help him out.

Then something went _blam._ Max dropped back into a defensive crouch.

Was that the engine backfiring? She couldn't tell. She closed her eyes and listened.

 _Clang._

When she opened her eyes, she wasn't in the park anymore.

The gun had fallen onto the cold blue tile floor. Only a few feet away from the crumpled body by the door to the bathroom. Lifeless blue eyes stared out from the girl's face, now twisted into a mask of confusion. Like she couldn't understand why there was a huge, red gaping hole in her chest. Fresh blood oozed out from the skull icon on her t-shirt at a snail's pace.

" _Oh… shit!_ " And there was the young man himself in his bright red jacket. After a moment's hesitation, he bent over the girl and pushed at her as if she'd only fallen asleep. " _No, no, no, no!_ "

 _Wait, I know this!_ Max reached her right hand out. _I know how to fix this!_

She pressed her right hand out and concentrated as the world turned red and hazy…

Nothing happened.

"No," Max whispered. She pushed her hand out again. "Please. You have to let me save her! You _have_ to!"

She'd keep at it until she got it right. Until her Chloe was safe and sound.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** _**Everyone, I'd like to say how much all your comments and your interest has meant to me. Writing this fic been a good experience for me since we're all on the edge of our seats waiting for Episode 5 to come out already. I hope you'll enjoy the following chapters as much as you've enjoyed the ones before.**_

 _ **P.S. Since Episode 5 hasn't come out at the time of this writing, any following references to the Dark Room are purely speculation.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

At 2:37 a.m., the first wave of text messages appeared on Kate's phone.

 **Warren:** _commence Operation Verdandi, gang!_

 **Warren:** _ok, running Google Earth now_

 **Warren:** _Brooke's got her drone on flyby_

 **Warren:** _cross-checking streets now, babe_

At 2:41 a.m., another exchange of texts followed.

 **Brooke:** _hey_

 **Brooke:** _Daniel says we ought to check coffee shops and museums_

 **Brooke** : _he's the one who knows this area better than anyone_

 **Daniel:** _don't rule out parks either, amigos_

 **Daniel:** _but my first guess would be the Portland Art Museum_

On and on, the texts pinged onto Kate's phone. One after the other, they cascaded through her field of vision, filling her with equal amounts of hope and dread.

She shielded the light coming from her phone with one hand, trying not to distract Chloe. The other girl was bent over her wheel, driving her truck at a snail's pace past Montgomery and Main Street. It was the most active part of the neighborhood at this time of night. Golden lights from the Broadway Building and the nearby concert hall left stark, flowing shadows over the dashboard of Chloe's truck as they drove by.

Chloe hadn't said a word to Kate since they piled into her truck and drove off. Her sour mood reminded Kate of the way her friend Alyssa would get after another round of bullying in the girls' dorm at Blackwell. She wouldn't speak to anyone for an hour or so; her solution had been to isolate herself with a book or plug in her earphones and rock out in her room. Kate and Stella had often tried to cajole her with an offer of cookies or a soda, with a success rate of more or less fifty percent of the time.

Somehow, she had the feeling that offering to buy Chloe a beer would do much to calm her down.

Kate wasn't feeling too calm herself. Her eyes kept shifting to her phone, dreading the next text message. Even a phone call would be too much for her. She prayed it'd be from Max, calling in to reassure everyone that she was safe and sound. But for all Kate knew, it'd be the Portland Police Bureau with terrible news.

 _She's fine,_ Kate reminded herself. Her hands folded themselves into a sign of prayer in her lap, more out of habit than anything else. _She's going to be fine._

"Does that really work for you?" Turning slightly, Kate saw that Chloe was watching her with a sullen smile. They had enough time for a quick chat as Chloe pulled the truck to a stop at the next red light.

"Well…" Kate averted her eyes. "I think it works for me."

"Huh." Chloe regarded her for another moment, her gaze lingering on Kate's hands. When those blue eyes turned up to Kate's face, they softened. "Call me crazy, but I would've thought you'd be less of a believer after all the shit you've been through."

It was terrible, but Kate had to resist the urge to spout off one of the platitudes that her pastor liked to hand out, such as _It is only a test of our faith_ or _How happy is the man whom God reproves_. Her minister, bless his heart, had never found himself standing on a rooftop in the rain, desperate to face an end to a world of constant suffering.

Chloe knew, though. When Kate saw the flash in her eyes, she imagined she wasn't simply asking for curiosity's sake.

"You know, I was this close to losing my faith in God." Kate pinched her forefinger and thumb together. "I told Max I didn't even believe in miracles anymore."

"Yeah?"

"But Max said she believed in _me_. She believed in miracles because of me. I didn't understand what she meant by that, but I figured it out eventually."

She didn't think it was a bizarre statement, but Chloe looked guilty for some reason. The other girl ducked her head toward the steering wheel as she drove through the next intersection. "And what'd you find out?"

"Max _is_ a miracle." Kate had always thought so, but saying it out loud gave those words a new kind of depth. Like she could finally see the truth behind her tangled feelings. And what she found, she spoke aloud. "She's the only one who really stood up for me when no one else would. She might've been nosy, but she knew exactly what to say when I was ready to jump. I knew she was my friend, but I never realized until that moment just how deeply she cared about me. Even when you two came to see me in the hospital, that visit was the best gift I'd gotten that week."

Again, Chloe didn't seem ready to look Kate in the eye. "Yeah, well, Max deserves more of the credit than me. All I did was sit my dumb ass outside 'cuz I was feeling like a shitty friend."

"But I'm glad you came for her." Kate wanted to pat the other girl on the shoulder, but she knew better. "You're a good friend, too, Chloe. And I _am_ sorry about earlier. I don't want to lose you as a friend because I made a mistake with your girlfriend."

Chewing on her bottom lip, Chloe leaned back in her seat. For the first time in over an hour, she looked a hair more relaxed. More like her old carefree self. "You know, as much as it pains me to say it, I can't exactly fault you for doing what you did. I mean, my girlfriend _is_ hella gorgeous, right?"

Kate blushed and looked away from Chloe's teasing grin. "She's a… a lovely girl. And you're lucky to have her."

"Aww, knock it off, Sister Kate. Admit it: you _like_ her."

Letting out a sigh, Kate looked at her faint reflection in the passenger side window. The Kate who looked back wore a haunted expression, illuminated by flickering street lamps as they drove down Montgomery.

"It's true," she replied. "I like her. Probably not as much as you do, of course."

Chloe pulled the truck to a halt at the next intersection. When she turned her full attention to Kate, her gaze was piercing and hot.

"Then why the kiss? Huh?" She waved her hand through the air with all the subtlety of an ax. "Why not, I don't know, write her a goddamn poem or a note instead?"

"I'm sorry—"

"Sorry's not enough. I wanna nip this in the bud, _comprende_? If I'm gonna lose Max to you, I'd…" Chloe's rising tone suddenly faltered. For a second, her face lost its savage glare; she looked scared and hopeless as she struggled to find the words. "I'll…"

Kate watched her for a moment. "Chloe?"

"Jesus…" Chloe slumped back into her seat. When the light turned green again, she put the truck in drive and pulled ahead. Every movement was listless and jerky, like the motions of a broken marionette.

"Just promise me one thing, okay?" Chloe's blue eyes flashed onto Kate's face again, but with less malice than before. "Don't break her heart. If I'm gonna lose her, I'd… I'd rather avoid a fight. I don't exactly make the best decisions when it comes to dealing with her."

Kate shook her head. "I'm _not_ getting between you two, I swear."

"I know, but if… I mean, if Max _did_ want you…" Chloe blew out her breath in a long, soft exhale. "Fuck, it'd hurt, but I'd respect that."

"Chloe, Max does love you. She didn't even hesitate to move in with you or drive out to Portland. I like Max, but only as a friend." When Chloe looked ready to bring up the kiss again, Kate stalled her with a raised hand. "And yes, I take full responsibility for what I did."

They lapsed into silence for a while. Chloe didn't look at Kate; her eyes were glued to the road, flickering from side to side for a sign of their missing friend. Meanwhile, a strange calm settled on Kate's chest. That knot of anxiety in her stomach had finally untied itself for the night. Now that she'd confessed the full extent of her feelings, she didn't feel afraid of whatever would come next. Even if it meant losing touch with Max and having to stay with Alyssa and Stella for the remainder of the trip.

 _It rains on the just and the unjust_ , she thought. _I should remember that for my next children's book…_

As the truck turned the corner at Clay Street, Chloe slid a quick glance at Kate. She looked back at the road for a moment, then snuck another glance before turning back to the road.

"You really want to make it up to me?" she said in a quiet voice.

Kate grimaced. "If you'll let me…"

"Cool." Keeping one hand on the wheel, Chloe extended her right arm out to Kate. "Take your best shot."

"What?"

Again, she snapped her arm toward Kate. "C'mon. You get one free punch in the arm. This offer is one-time only and cannot be redeemed for future fuck-ups with yours truly."

"Chloe, I'm not going to hit you—"

"Don't wuss out on me, Marsh. Prove to me you've got a dark side."

Kate couldn't decide if Chloe was joking or just insane. Considering Max's opinion of her, it was probably both.

But when Chloe refused to lower her arm, Kate knew that this wasn't going to end any other way. As a precaution, she crossed herself over her heart. Then she took a deep breath, reached out her trembling hand, and gave the other girl a half-hearted slap on the wrist.

"Ha!" Chloe giggled, jerking her hand back. "God, you are such a goody two-shoes, you know that?"

"I don't hit people, Chloe. What was that about?"

Still smiling, Chloe changed gears again and made a U-turn at the next intersection. When the truck was heading back toward Montgomery, she turned to Kate and said, "It's dumb, but it had to be done. I mean, you can't let me be a bitch to you all night long, am I right?"

"You were only looking out for Max—"

"And look where that's gotten us." Chloe gestured to the gloomy street ahead. "I'd rather be back home with the two of us. And yes, that means you get to stay at the apartment. Pretty sure I said it already, but I'm sorry for kicking you out. That was very uncool of me." She smiled as she put both hands on the wheel again. "Besides, you know how to talk to Max. Talking to you makes her happy, and believe me, she hasn't been that happy until now."

"Really? But—"

The rest of her answer died when her phone flashed with a new text alert. Kate swiped left across her screen and read.

 **Warren:** _we found her!_

 **Warren:** _Brooke's drone spotted Max here!_

 **Warren:** _night vision specs ftw!_

Attached to the following message was a Google Maps link.

"Lovejoy Fountain Park," Kate said. She glanced up, meeting Chloe's eager gaze. "Do you know where it is?"

"Shit, that's less than a mile away." Chloe turned back to the road and switched gears. "Let's roll!"

* * *

Chloe's truck had barely screeched to a halt when Kate opened her door and hopped out onto the cold pavement. She didn't even pause to look over her shoulder; she could hear Chloe's rapid footsteps behind her as they dashed into the cold, dim space of Lovejoy Park.

At two-thirty in the morning, she was surprised that there weren't any police cars driving around or even a few night owls out for a walk. She figured that someone would've spotted Max and tried to report her to the authorities. Finding the park so desolate made Kate feel worse about what they were going to find.

Her ears perked up when she heard something past the running waters of the nearby fountains. It was faint, but the tone was unmistakable.

"…Please… please, you don't have to do this…"

Kate's blood ran cold. But when she heard Chloe pick up the pace behind her, her blood turned hot and melted away the ice in her veins.

If someone was hurting Max, with God as her witness, she wasn't going to let them get away with it.

She forged ahead, racing across the smooth walkways with little to no light to guide her way. Kate put her trust in the Lord and moved as quickly as she could. She focused on the low tones coming from around a close-by bend.

When she came to a halt, Kate doubled over and paused to catch her breath. Chloe was breathing just as hard when she reached Kate's side. She at least had enough strength to cry out, "Max!"

Standing in the middle of the fountain, with water flowing up and around her ankles, Max Caulfield clasped her hands together. At first, Kate thought she might have been praying, but when she looked a little closer, she noticed the way Max's hands twitched. Her wrists flexed in and out against some invisible bond like someone had tied them together with rope or duct tape. And Kate didn't like how Max was gazing into space. That cold, dead-eyed stare at the water reminded her of her own dark October and the crushing despair that led her to the edge of a roof.

Kate took a deep breath. The memories tugged at her consciousness, teasing her with that same cloud of darkness. She didn't fight it. Instead, she rode out the misery with cold clarity. For only a moment, the despair reared its head. Finding no resistance, it soon withered away, leaving her back in the present moment.

Or rather, the present crisis.

"Max!" Chloe waved her hands. "Max, over here! Talk to me! Please!"

"Chloe…" Max's wrists twitched upward again. Her head tilted to the right. "You're here… gotta help me get loose…"

Chloe exchanged a nervous look with Kate. "Wh-what are you talking about? Where do you think you _are?_ "

"The Dark Room…" Max blinked. "Gotta save her…"

"Save who, Max?"

"Victoria's in trouble…" Kate watched Max take a lazy step forward, further soaking the cuffs of her jeans. "She… she didn't listen… Nathan tried to… to…"

Whatever else she was trying to say got lost in a giant, heaving sob. Max pressed her hands to her face. She sank to her knees, splashing freshwater everywhere. Kate flinched when it hit the hem of her skirt, but she refused to back away.

Taking another breath, she calmed herself down and stepped closer to Max.

"Max," she said, using a strong, clear voice. "Max, will you please look at me?"

"Kate?" Max tilted her head to the side. Her voice almost sounded clear again. "Oh, no... Kate, how'd you get in here again? We have to get _out_ of here! This place is evil!"

Her wrists twitched again, fighting against that invisible rope. Kate took another deep breath and reached her hand out.

"Please!" Max waved her hands back and forth. "Please, we have to hurry! He's coming back! Victoria needs us and we… and we…"

"Max!" Kate blushed at the sharpness of her tone, but she reached out and grabbed for her friend's hand. Her fingers interlocked with Max's wrist, and she held it tight.

"Max," she said again. "Please, listen. You're fine. You're safe. There's no reason to be afraid. You're in Portland. With me and Chloe." Fighting past the lump in her throat, she managed to add, "Do you remember?"

Max didn't respond right away. She continued to stare out in horror, trapped in her own memory.

"Please, Max. It's Kate." Adding pressure to her grip on Max's wrist, Kate stepped closer. She let the water of the fountain wash over her shoes and socks, soaking her straight through to the bone. Even in the middle of summer, the water was freezing, but Kate could bear it.

She had to bear it. For Max's sake and her own.

"Max." Chloe's voice was soft. Standing only a few feet behind Kate, she held her arms open. "Max, please. Talk to us. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I'm sorry I was a real bitch to Kate. You can come home now." Her face tightened. "Let's go home together, Max. Pretty please?"

Kate nodded. "She's telling the truth. We're fine now. Everything's fine." Keeping one hand on her wrist, she reached out and touched Max on the shoulder. "Would you like to go home now?"

"Home…" Max's voice had changed again. The panic had faded away, leaving only a broken tone that ripped into Kate's heart. But at least she sounded more like her old self again. When she blinked, something in her eyes cleared.

Max turned her head slowly and looked at Kate. She looked at her clearly for the first time.

"Kate," she whispered. "It's really you?"

Sniffling, Kate nodded. "Yeah, Max. It's really me."

The next thing she knew, they were hugging, splashing more water as they raced into each other's arms. Kate hugged Max as tight as she could manage. With slow, cautious steps, she helped her friend out of the fountain and back onto dry land.

Whatever air had been in Kate's lungs was crushed away a second later. Chloe tackled the two girls in a bear hug, pressing Max's head into her shoulder and patting Kate's shoulder. She bent her head down and kissed Max on the cheek.

"Don't you _ever_ fucking scare me like that again!" Chloe scolded. She smiled despite the tears running down her face. "You hear me?"

"Yes, Chloe…" Max's voice cracked under a fresh wave of sobs. She buried her face in her girlfriend's shoulder again. "Yes!"

Kate stepped out of the hug, letting Chloe have Max all to herself. She took a moment and closed her eyes, breathing past the pain stabbing through her heart. Her nerves had frayed after a long night of arguments, long car rides, and little sleep.

 _Thank you, Lord._ She pressed her hands together and bowed her head. _Just… thank you._

Meanwhile, Chloe had swept a protesting Max up into her arms, lifting her up underneath her shoulders and legs like an infant. The smile on Chloe's face could've lit up the entire park. Kate returned her smile and fell into step beside her as they made their way back to the idling truck in the dark.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

From her vantage point in the kitchenette, Chloe looked over the chaos that had unfolded inside their apartment. A whole troupe of their friends from Blackwell gathered around the living room sofa, where Max laid down with her head on a pillow. In the late afternoon light, she looked good; certainly a hell of a lot better than the pale, nerve-wracked girl that she and Kate had brought home in the early hours of the morning.

"It's not much," Brooke was saying, "but Warren said you'd probably get a kick out of this." She passed her iPad over to Max and tapped at something on the screen. "See?"

Max squinted for a minute. Then she sniffled, and her face broke out in that cute smile that Chloe treasured so much. "You guys… you didn't have to do this."

"Neither did we have to join the Lighthouse Corps," Evan chimed in, "but we did it anyway because you gave us the idea."

Chloe didn't need to see it for herself. She'd gotten all the pertinent info from Alyssa's text, just before the gang showed up at the apartment. A short but memorable video, from a photo collage—assembled via drone footage and Evan's vintage camera—to a series interviews and thank-yous from the whole crew as taken by Stella's smartphone. It was the sort of geeky little project that Max had talked about with Chloe in the weeks after they'd settled in Portland.

At the time, she hadn't believed much would come of those ideas. Now she knew better. And she'd never happier to have been proven wrong.

 _Look at them, Max,_ Chloe thought, _our little misfit family in action._

Shifting her eyes away from the heartwarming scene, Chloe focused her attention on the sodas and beers that she'd gathered for everyone on the kitchen counter. Sitting next to the beverage selection was her sketchpad, now with a fresh collection of concept art at Daniel's insistence. More drawings of Super Max set to awesome background explosions. And there were a few new additions, like the battle-scarred Captain Chloe, complete with a cyborg arm and holographic eyepatch.

Of course, she'd neglected to show Daniel the picture she'd drawn of Kate Marsh on the reverse side of the page. The angel wings had been a nice touch, but she hadn't been able to produce any other kick-ass details apart from the summer dresses she'd been wearing on her vacation.

Almost on cue, Chloe stirred out of her thoughts when she heard Kate giggle. She looked across the room and saw the girl sitting closest to Max, holding her hand and making some comment about the video. It didn't matter what was being said; the joy that sparkled in her eyes while she spoke to Max said it all perfectly.

Chloe had never believed in God, let alone in angels or miracles. But she believed in Max. And she supposed that she believed in Kate, too.

Joyce would've loved it if her daughter had found a friend like Kate growing up. She was almost the nice girl that her mother believed Max to be, though Chloe knew better. Her best friend had always been a fellow adventurer at heart, even if she usually chickened out halfway through. When she remembered their impromptu wine-tasting party at age thirteen, she almost laughed out loud.

If only a little wine spill on the carpet had been the worst thing they'd done together.

With one hand around Brooke's waist, Warren gestured at Max. "Come on, what's the review? Does that pass for the first official L.C. collab or what?"

Max blushed. "Well…" She glanced at Kate, smiled to herself, and then turned back to Warren. "It's a group venture, right? So the whole group gets to decide if it was a success or not." She grinned. "But don't worry. You've got my vote of approval."

"And mine," said Alyssa.

"Same here," Stella added.

One by one, the vote turned out to be unanimous. Everyone in the Lighthouse Corps broke out into cheers, followed by a dozen excited and overlapping conversations. Chloe chuckled and shook her head. If those geeks were allowed to have their way, they'd be chatting up a storm until midnight on art, science, and history.

"Okay, Geek Squad," she called out, bringing her armful of drinks over the coffee table that they'd moved from in front of the couch. "Who's thirsty?"

"Aw, thanks, Chloe," Brooke answered.

"Hey, you guys pulled through last night. It's the least I could do." Chloe paused, quirking her lips to one side as another memory rose up. "Plus, I'd better make up for being a total bitch to Kate last night."

"Water under the bridge," Alyssa replied. She glanced at Kate and added, "If Kate says you're cool, that's enough for us."

"Yeah." Chloe flashed a side smile at Kate. "I had a feeling that'd be the case."

* * *

Two rounds of drinks and snacks later, the kids from the Lighthouse Corps filed out of Max and Chloe's apartment, still chatting amongst themselves. Kate stayed behind, helping Chloe clean the place up while Max continued to recuperate on the sofa.

Every so often, as she put empty beer bottles and soda cans into her trash bag, Kate looked over at Max to make sure she was still fine. It was a blessing to see her face full of color again. Even when she dropped off for a nap, Kate couldn't help but love the gentle snoring she made. It made her think of her bunny, which made her a little sad.

She hoped Lynn was taking care of Alice like she'd promised. Kate wanted to see her pet soon, but she had a few friends to consider first.

"Thanks," said Chloe, taking the full garbage bag from Kate. "I've got it from here."

As Chloe headed out the apartment door with both trash bags in hand, Kate went back to the ottoman that she'd been using as a chair all afternoon. Moving it closer to the couch, she took her seat and looked down at Max, who was beginning to wake up.

"Mm…" Max's eyes fluttered. Kate remembered that she used to joke it was her zombie face in action; having seen a few zombie movies for herself, Kate disagreed. There was nothing nearly that hideous about her friend's face when she woke up.

"Time?" Max asked.

Kate glanced at her smartphone on the coffee table. "Um, it's just after five-thirty. Are you hungry? I could whip something up in the—"

"No, please." With a feeble wave of her hand, Max yawned. "I'm not awake enough for food yet. Unless you're hungry, Kate." A tiny smile crossed her lips. "You're welcome to anything in the kitchen, okay?"

Lifting her hands up, Kate shook her head. "I'm fine, too. Really, I am."

Max sighed and shifted onto her side so that she was fully facing Kate. Her smile only grew wider. "Are you sick of talking right about now?"

"Not at all. I've always got time for you."

"Good." Max extended her left hand. She waited until Kate grabbed it and added, "There's something that I wanted to—"

She froze when the front door unlocked. Chloe soon reappeared, now clutching her beanie in one hand and her jacket in the other. The punk girl was panting a little as she dropped her accessories on the kitchen counter and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Goddamn, it's hot as balls down there," she announced. When she noticed the two girls looking at her, Chloe bit down on her bottom lip. "Um, hey. Did I… interrupt something?"

For a moment, Max didn't say a word. She held onto Kate's hand, staring through her at something. The flicker in her eyes made Kate worry that her friend was slipping back into the nightmare world. But when she heard Max take a few deep breaths, she stopped worrying and continued to wait.

"Kate…" Max's eyes refocused on her, bringing her back to the present. "Do you still believe in miracles?"

"Of course, I do." Kate smiled and squeezed her hand. "Thanks to you, at least."

"What if I told you that it was a miracle that helped me save your life? That I had a power over time that no one else had?"

"I'd…" Judging by Max's expression, Kate couldn't tell if she was serious or dramatic. "I don't think I know what you mean."

Max tightened her grip on Kate's hand. Her voice went deep with desperation. "Didn't you think it was strange how I went from a shy geek to an Everyday Hero in a week? That I suddenly knew all the right answers in class? Or how I was the only one to make it up to the rooftop without anyone else noticing?"

Kate shook her head. "Max, you're not making any sense. That was just you being brave."

"It's not just that." When her head slumped back against the pillow, Max sighed. She stared up at the ceiling for a second or two. Then her eyes brightened. "Hey, Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

Max lifted a hand. "In the bedroom closet. There's a box of old photos. Can you get it for me?"

Chloe glanced at Kate, then back at Max. Her face clouded over with concern. "You bet. B.R.B."

As their roommate went back down the hall, Kate sat in confusion. When she looked at Max, she saw some of that desperation and anguish that she remembered—all too vividly—from the rooftop on that black Tuesday morning. The way Max was groaning and bleeding from the nose as if trying to summon Kate away from the edge by sheer willpower. Even through the despair that had clouded her judgment at that moment, she could still recall the light she felt shining through Max's presence.

Something had been burning bright inside her that day. In every day since then. Was that what she'd meant?

Kate had heard her Uncle Bradley talk about people who were possessed by the Holy Spirit to commit truly wondrous deeds. Perhaps Max had received that same blessing.

When Chloe returned, she was carrying an old shoebox. She slipped the lid off and handed the box to Kate.

Inside were dozens of photographs. All vintage Polaroids that she remembered Max taking all throughout their time at Blackwell Academy. Kate liked the ten or so squirrel and bird pictures that she found, but as she sifted through the next layer, her joy evaporated. And then she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Photos of car accidents. Friends and faculty lying dead when she knew for a fact that they were alive. Black-and-white photos of Kate in positions that she couldn't recall, let alone fathom.

"How…?" Kate blinked. When she put a hand to her eyes, she felt tears forming. "How did you even _get_ these? They can't be real."

"They're not… exactly." Max groaned as she forced herself to sit up. "But they happened, Kate. Just not in the timeline that you remember."

When Kate looked Max in the eye, she saw that same fiery presence in her friend's face.

"You don't have to believe me," said Max. "Just… listen."

* * *

Time passed. Minutes, to be sure. Probably well over an hour or two. When Kate glanced to the side, she saw a hazy orange glow coming in through the living room window. It was already late in the afternoon. She realized that her stomach was growling. That it had been growling for a while, but she hadn't noticed before. And then she had a terrible urge to use the bathroom.

If she went, she knew she'd splash water on her face and see if she was here or only dreaming it.

When Max had finished talking, her head dropped back against the pillow. She closed her eyes, but Kate knew she wasn't asleep. It had taken a lot out of her to talk, but she seemed content. As comfortable as Kate had seen her since the moment she arrived in Portland.

"Hard to take it all in at once, huh?" Chloe's voice brought Kate back to reality. She saw the blue-haired girl sitting on the edge of the couch, massaging Max's feet with short, tender strokes. "Believe me, it wasn't any easier when I first heard about it. It was fucking unreal."

Kate sniffled and wiped at her nose with the back of her head. "All this time… how could I have known? How could anyone?"

"Well, that's the point." Chloe grinned. "One minute, you're going about your business, and the next she's grabbing your hand and telling you all kinds of scary shit that's supposed to happen in the next thirty seconds."

"No wonder she's in such pain." Kate closed her eyes. "How could anyone watch their friend die… more than once?"

She'd recoiled at the part where Max had witnessed Kate jumping off the rooftop twice in quick succession. To know that she'd been only a few minutes away from being dead on the pavement, a bloody spectacle for everyone to gawk over. She shivered and hugged herself until the memories passed.

"You don't wanna know how often she's saved my ass," Chloe admitted. Dropping Max's feet into her lap, she looked over at the girl and smiled. "She's my guardian angel. I'd be dead a thousand times over if it wasn't for her. I owe her everything."

"Chloe…"

"I don't blame you, by the way." Meeting Kate's gaze, Chloe's expression went sharp. "I know I can be a real dumbass sometimes, but I don't think inviting you here was a bad idea. Much as I hate seeing her like this, I'm glad you were there to return the favor and save her. It's been a long time coming, no pun intended."

A tiny sound from the couch caught Kate's attention. She looked over at Max, whose eyes were open again, her gaze fixed on Kate's face with a gentle smile. When Kate smiled back, Max reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I don't think I'd be the same if I hadn't stepped in for you," Max whispered. "Let alone if I hadn't tried to save Chloe in the bathroom. I just…" She frowned. "I want you to know that you're both worth the pain I've been through." As she spoke, her face softened, and Kate got that impression that Max was looking beyond her again. Back into the past. "When I saw you sitting in that hospital room, drawing and happy… I knew it was worth it."

Kate nodded. "You're a good friend, Max. You always were, even before you got this… power."

Max glanced up at her. Her smile had turned crooked. "Just a friend?"

As her cheeks flushed, Kate looked away. "You know what I mean."

"Hey." Chloe leaned forward in her spot on the couch, looking at both girls at once. "It's cool if you're, you know, into girls like that. Ain't no judgment 'round here."

"It's not that. Not exactly…" Kate trailed off when she met Chloe's questioning gaze. When she turned to Max, her heart sank. "I wasn't thinking when I kissed you. In the heat of the moment, I put two and two together and got seventeen. You were just trying to tell me what you'd been through, and I'd…"

She winced. The memory of that kiss burned hot in her mind—and not in a good way. "God forgive me, I'm such an idiot."

Max's head rose up from her pillow. "You're not an idiot, Kate." Tightening her grip, she added, "Hey, look at me. You're not stupid. You're kind and beautiful, and anyone—guy _or_ girl—would be lucky to have you."

Kate stared back. "Even you? Or Chloe?"

"Why the fuck not?" Chloe scooted across the couch, shifting Max's legs a little higher as she did. "Kate, I'm exactly the cover girl for _Boring Normal Life Magazine._ I don't base my life decisions around what society expects outta me. There's a damn good reason I wound up falling for a shy little photographer from Bigfootville."

"Right," Max teased, "it's not like I wasn't your best friend when we were growing up— _ahh!_ " Her voice broke off into a squeal as Chloe retaliated by tickling her feet. "Oh, _God!_ Stop it, stop it, _stop it!_ "

"Shut up. You know you love it…"

As their banter continued, Kate sat and watched. She felt so comfortable being with them, almost as if she'd grown up alongside them. But she understood what Chloe meant about falling for Max. There had been some chemistry between them when they first became friends at Blackwell. A quiet connection between two social misfits who liked art and obscure movies.

And then there was Chloe Price, the rebellious girl that her parents had tried to keep Kate and her sisters from becoming, let alone associate with at school. How many times had she heard about the "sinner's wages" in her church group? But when she looked at Chloe now, with her blue hair and carefree smile, she knew the girl was sincere in her affection. No one could ask for a more ardent supporter or guardian.

Those two women meant the world to Kate. She'd always be there for them, just as she knew they were there for her.

 _It's safe here._

When Kate snapped back into the present, she realized that the room had gone quiet. Both Max and Chloe had ceased their tickle fight and were looking right at her. She replied with a self-conscious blush and cleared her throat.

"Well?" Max propped herself up on one elbow. "What do you think? Are you interested?"

Kate's chest rose and fell slowly, giving her enough time to clear her head and sort out the answer she was prepared to give. She nodded and looked Max, then Chloe, in the eye.

"I'm not there yet," she admitted. Then, with a tiny smile creeping across her face, she added, "But, if you're serious about this, then I'd like to see how things develop. And I know that the two of you won't hurt me either, so that's a relief."

"Aww, would ya look at that?" Chloe's grin was insufferable. "A mermaid wants to dip her fin in the water with the otters and the sharks."

When Kate didn't respond right away, the other girl shifted Max's legs aside and stood up. She easily towered over Kate, and for a moment, she remembered how Chloe had stood like this on the previous night, snarling curse words right before throwing her out of the apartment.

But Chloe didn't attack. Instead, she dropped into a crouch beside Kate. Chloe offered a quick smile and took the girl by the hand.

Then their lips were pressed together, and Kate was lost in a world of bliss.

She had no idea that the punk girl's lips could be any softer than Max's. Or sweeter.

When Chloe pulled back, Kate was breathless. She gasped and put a hand to her lips, savoring the warmth that lingered.

Meanwhile, Max was watching them with a bemused smile. "I can't tell if I'm jealous or just really turned on."

"If you wanted some sugar, you only had to ask," Chloe quipped. She spun on her heels and reached for Max's face. When their lips met, it wasn't with the gentle force that Kate had received, but a messy, passionate smooch that she felt uncomfortable watching.

With a deep sigh, Max leaned back from the kiss and onto her pillow again. She smiled dreamily at Chloe, intertwining their fingers together. Then she looked over at Kate and extended her other hand.

Kate smiled and took her hand. She didn't resist when Max pulled her off the chair and onto the couch. Or when Max wrapped both arms around Kate and dragged her into a hug so that they were both lying down on the couch. Kate snuggled against her chest, listening for Max's rapid heartbeat in the now-quiet living room.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," said Chloe. Getting back to her feet, she swaggered out of the room and into the hallway. "Give me a holler when you're ready for dinner."

Max said something in response, but Kate barely heard her. Nothing else existed outside the warmth of Max's body against her own. In her mind, all she could process was a constant loop of the same thoughts.

 _It's safe here. This is normal. This is how we get better…_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"All right, everybody!" Brooke held her tablet to her chest, with one finger hovering over the capture button. "Look up and smile!"

Max heard the click right as she saw something flicker on the undercarriage of Brooke's drone. The little contraption spun around in place, then whirred over to a safe landing in the row of planters next to the bus depot.

Everyone in the Lighthouse Corps had gathered together for the official group photo and all their goodbyes on the Friday of a long and eventful week. Things hadn't gone quite as Max had hoped, but she knew that everyone was still talking about their ideas for collaboration. Kate was going to start writing her children's book, complete with photos from Max and Warren's science facts. Evan and Daniel had a portfolio of sketch and photography portraits that they were going to submit together. Meanwhile, Stella had mentioned that she and Alyssa were working on a little something they liked to call the "Kate Marsh Appreciation Kit."

When the bus for Arcadia Bay finally rolled in, Max felt a knot in her stomach. She'd said most of her goodbyes and thank-yous to everyone. Now she felt winded and ready for another early afternoon nap on the couch. She hung back as the gang gathered up their bags and suitcases.

"Hey, you zoning out on me?" Chloe nudged Max with her elbow. "I'll carry you home if it comes to that, Caulfield."

"Now there's a thought." Max smiled, hoping she sounded more enthusiastic than she felt.

"You did good, kiddo." Sliding her arm around Max's shoulder, Chloe looked over the crowd of young adults. "I know I was a real bitch when we started, and I'm sorry about that."

"Chloe, you have nothing to apologize for." Max turned around and looked her in the eye. "Not to me, at least. All that makes me happy now is knowing you're here with me. And with Kate."

In her peripheral vision, Max saw Kate hugging Daniel and saying something with a big, bright smile on her face. She found herself smiling, too.

"C'mon now. Who wouldn't be crushing on you two cuties?" Chloe hugged Max into her chest, then let go. "Go on, now. Go get mushy with your little friends."

"They're _your_ friends, too, Chloe."

"Yeah, but…" Chloe shrugged. "I'm me. I need to keep my mushy side in reserve."

"If you say so."

Passing through the group, Max went over and touched Alyssa on the shoulder. The purple-haired girl turned and smiled at her, then offered her hand, which Max shook.

"Hey," she said. "Thanks again for standing up for Kate."

"Anytime," Max replied. "And thank _you_ for giving her a place to stay when she needed it."

"I'm just glad she found you. We don't need another Rachel Amber in our circle of friends, you know?"

 _More than you know,_ Max thought. For a moment, she saw the blue body bag and remembered the awful smell of its contents—

And then she took a deep breath and nodded to herself. The memory was still painful, but it had almost been a year and she was going to get through this.

The adventure was over. Now the real work would begin.

"I'm always up on Tumblr if you wanna check out my poetry," Alyssa was saying. "I'm sure you've got some good photos to share on there."

"Tons. It's way better than my memorial wall at Blackwell." Max smiled and added, "Though converting to digital's a bit of a headache for me."

"I'll bet." Alyssa hugged her, nearly crushing the air out of Max's lungs. "Take care, okay?"

"You too!"

As Alyssa went to help the others load up their luggage on the bus, Max felt someone tap her on the shoulder. When she turned around, Warren was standing behind her with a somber expression.

"Listen, Max, if you've got a minute," he said, rubbing at his arm with his other hand, "I thought I'd ask you if you're doing okay."

Max knew better than to play dumb. It had been so easy before to ignore the signs around Warren when they were in school together. All those scattered hints and none-too-subtle offers to become more than friends. But this time, she could see the concern written in his eyes. He was nothing more or less than a true friend to her.

"I'm… better." Dropping her gaze, Max pondered the cracks in the sidewalk at her feet. "Chloe doesn't like to talk about it, but I was in a rough spot after we moved out here. Seeing you, Kate, and everyone else really cheered me up, but—"

"It wasn't enough," Warren finished. "For your depression, I mean."

"You sound like you've been there yourself."

"I was… until I met the right girl."

When Max lifted her head, she noticed a peculiar twinkle in her friend's eye. Then Warren grinned, just like his old self, and added, "You might have met her. Brooke Scott?"

"You're such a dork!" Max punched his other arm. Still, it felt good to smile again.

She looked over at Brooke, who was hugging Kate near the front of the bus. It never ceased to amaze Max how much everyone's lives had improved since that fateful October. Like all her rewinds and interventions had changed the entire course of fate for Arcadia Bay. And of course, they had. When her friends smiled now, she could see a light in their eyes that hadn't been there before.

Now she needed that light more than ever.

"I know I'm not the best guy to talk psychology with," Warren continued, "but if you ever need a shoulder to cry on via Skype, you know where to find me."

Max nodded. Then, when she met Warren's eyes again, she lunged forward and hugged him close. He hesitated, then returned the hug.

"Stay safe with Brooke," she whispered. "And I'll do the same with Chloe, okay?"

"You got yourself a deal, Max."

* * *

After a mercifully quiet weekend, Monday morning rolled around faster than she'd expected. Max found herself in Chloe's truck as the three girls drove onto Everett Street, where office parks and tall buildings flourished.

Thanks to their new group dynamic, it had been Kate who'd researched local therapists in Portland and found the name of a PTSD and anxiety specialist. While the thought of sitting down and baring her soul with a trained professional was mortifying, Max knew that she had to make a change. Living alone with Chloe, while pretending that she wasn't suffering anymore, hadn't worked. And given all the success that a little rehab had done for Kate's depression, Max knew she could take the same steps forward.

On Max's phone, a whole text-based conversation had broken out with her mother. It made for a good distraction while Chloe was driving.

 **Mom:** _So how is your friend doing? I hope she and Chloe are getting along ok._

 **Max:** _Of course they are!_

 **Max:** _Kate is a sweetheart and we're lucky to have her!_

 **Max:** _If you and Dad ever visit us again, I'm sure you'll see her soon!_

 **Mom:** _I swear, you used to worry your father and me about your lack of new friends when we came to Seattle. I'm glad you've changed that, honey._

 **Max:** _Me, too, Mom._

 **Max:** _Gotta go._

 **Max:** _Xomaxo_

She had barely gotten the last text message out when Chloe's truck hit a speed bump. Max jolted up and down in her seat with all the grace of a rodeo clown. Keeping a tight grip on her phone, she slid it back into her pocket.

A hand fell on her wrist, and she looked up into Kate's soft, loving eyes.

"Still feeling nervous?" asked Kate.

"A little. But it was really helpful hearing you talk about your own experience last night."

"Opening up about your problem is the scariest part. Once you get a real dialogue going"—Kate shrugged—"it just gets easier from there."

 _I'll bet._ Max left that thought unspoken, but she knew Kate would appreciate the reason. She'd skirted around the issue of her powers and her visions with over a dozen authority figures, from Principal Wells and David Madsen to the original therapist who'd given her a prescription for her meds. But this time would be different.

And what would the verdict be then? Schizophrenia? Paranoia? Getting called out for overblown teenage angst seemed just as likely, too. A thousand different reasons that would lead to Max getting sent to a mental hospital the more she told the truth.

 _No._ Max clenched her fist in her lap. She could create a fitting story for her doctor. There were plenty of publicly documented events in her favor, from the photo she took of Nathan shooting Chloe in the bathroom to the arrest that brought down her once-favorite photography teacher. Even the storm that hit Arcadia Bay—and spared it, thank God—was more than enough to count toward Max's present-day trauma.

As Kate continued to rattle off more encouraging words, Max suddenly thought about all the schoolmates and neighbors she'd left behind in Arcadia Bay. Even her friends who'd visited only a week ago came to mind. How many of them were still suffering like her? The downfall of the Prescott family had been a reason to celebrate, but they'd left a town in ruin because of Sean Prescott's machinations.

 _When this is over,_ Max promised, _we're calling Dana and Juliet. I want to make sure they're still doing okay._

Chloe pulled the truck into a parking spot on the curb, right outside a three-story office building that stretched out like a brick laying on its side. There were enough shrubbery and planted trees in the front to give some much-needed color to the edifice, which made it a little less intimidating to Max. She took a few deep breaths and forced herself to smile.

 _It's showtime, Super Max._

Holding Kate's hand, Max followed her and Chloe through the front door and into the lobby of the building. Chloe didn't hesitate to look up the suite number and grab a waiting elevator for the three girls. She moved with a confident swagger that Max found comforting. That cocky attitude that she loved so much during their ill-fated Rachel Amber investigation.

 _Relax. It's like having another adventure_.

* * *

On the second floor, they came up to a door marked as the office of Doctor Lexi Thurman. Chloe hesitated when her hand fell on the doorknob. She looked back at Max, who was still holding Kate's hand.

For a moment, she didn't see her friend. Instead, she saw a scared little girl holding her dolly.

"Hey," said Chloe. She turned to Max and put her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "You'll do fine. You just have to trust in the process."

"I know," Max whispered back. She squeezed Kate's hand before she looked up at Chloe. Again, her face had that soft, little-girl quality that had always distinguished her, even as a teenager. "I have to do this. For all of our sakes."

Chloe nodded. This time, she didn't hesitate to open the door, holding it open so that Max and Kate could walk in ahead of her.

The waiting room was simple and tasteful, with shades of white set against a comfy green sofa and a semicircle of matching armchairs. In the morning light that came in through the windows, everything had a heavenly glow to it. Even the blonde woman sitting behind the reception desk looked angelic; she had to have been well into her sixties by Chloe's reckoning, but the light was doing wonders for her face.

"Um, hello," Max said when she got to the reception area. "I'm… I'm Max Caulfield. I'm here for an appointment with Dr. Thurman?"

The old lady nodded and smiled. "Oh, yes. You're right on time, Maxine. Please go on in."

Kate whispered something encouraging to Max before letting go of her hand. Max nodded and headed for the door on the other side of the room.

"Hold up." Chloe reached out and grabbed Max's arm. She tried not to yank her back, using a light nudge to bring herself face-to-face with Max.

"What is it?" she asked.

Chloe's bottom lip flexed in and out between her teeth for a second. She glanced at Kate, then at the receptionist, who had already gone back to her typing.

Without giving herself a chance for regret, Chloe leaned in and planted a long kiss on Max's lips. Max shifted in place, but she yielded the kiss soon enough. Chloe didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around the girl's waist and hold her close.

It was only a few seconds long, but the kiss felt like it lasted for ages. When she pulled away, Chloe looked down at Max. They were both blushing like schoolgirls. It was so ridiculous.

"I mean it," she told Max. "You're going to be fine. Now go in there and be yourself."

Max nodded, but she was smiling this time. A real smile, like when she'd told Chloe about her crazy Lighthouse Corps plan. That made all the difference in the world.

Stepping back toward Kate, Chloe let go and watched as Max opened the next door and walked into the therapist's room. She kept still until the door closed behind Max, shutting off the pair of voices chatting away inside, and then felt her knees begin to wobble.

"Let's take a seat," said Kate, heading for one of the armchairs. "This is going to be a while."

Chloe nodded. Turning around, she went and took the chair next to Kate. Her whole body fell into a comfortable slump, with her legs sticking out over the floor. A perfect contrast to the prim little posture that Kate adopted; she even sat with her hands folded in her lap, like she was attending church.

A few minutes passed in silence. Chloe found herself counting the moments until Max came back, but she knew it wouldn't be that easy. Nothing in life was that simple. But talking to a shrink would still be miles ahead of Max's nightly terrors and fishing her out of a fountain at three in the morning.

It occurred to Chloe how strange it was that such thoughts didn't seem odd anymore. Ever since her early teens, the world had gotten bigger and weirder—and she'd rolled with it. Suddenly, blue hair and tattoos didn't sound like a bad idea after all. Neither did hanging out in a junkyard or helping her best friend solve a mystery with her time-rewind powers.

"You know," said Chloe, "if this works out, I might even consider an appointment myself."

"Really? I didn't think you believed in that stuff."

Dropping her elbows to her knees, Chloe looked down at the patch of carpet between her boots. The same dull shade of blue-gray that she'd seen in so many other offices and waiting rooms back in Arcadia Bay. It didn't matter if it was in the principal's office or her parents' living room. That dismal carpet color would always remind her of the life she left behind. Her longtime dream of freedom finally realized, even with her best friend right by her side.

Some dream that had turned out to be.

"I don't," she said. "Not really."

Kate scooted her chair closer. "Maybe you'd rather talk it out with a friend instead?"

"Yeah, but friends can't give me a prescription for mood-altering meds." Chloe fell silent. Then she smiled, feeling a tear welling up in the corner of her eye. "Not unless they happen to be scumbag drug dealers like Frank…"

"Chloe." Kate put her hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Do you want to talk or not? I'm here for you either way."

"Jesus, I'm sick of talking." Chloe leaned over, letting Kate slide her hand down to the small of her back. She closed her eyes as Kate began to offer a quiet, one-handed massage. "You know, when Max and me were little kids, we talked a lot, but we did more running around and getting into stupid shit. Pretending to be pirates and making up these grand adventures in our heads. You ever do that with your sisters?"

"Sure. Who doesn't?"

"I wouldn't know. I'm an only child, same as Max." Chloe shrugged. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, Max and I never really needed to talk things out. Usually, I'd say something stupid, but I… I'd own up to it eventually, and we'd be cool again."

Kate responded with a gentle pat on the back. "That's what make you such a great couple."

"It's different now." When she opened her eyes, Chloe felt something unlock inside her chest. Old, scratched memories flew around her head like Polaroids caught up in a whirlwind. "Max needs me, and I'm too messed up inside to help. It's last October all over again."

For once, Kate didn't answer right away. The silence that followed was a blessing for Chloe. Something she could luxuriate in. When she looked at the carpet again, the bitterness she'd felt from before wasn't as heavy in her heart.

Clearing her throat, Kate said, "Did you ever read _The October Country_?"

"You mean, like, Ray Bradbury?"

"That's the one." Kate withdrew her hand from Chloe's back and leaned forward so she could look her in the eye. "There's a story about this boy who loses his first true love when she drowns in a lake. Years later, he comes back to the lake with his wife, but there's this lifeguard who drags a body out from the water, and it's the body of his childhood friend, perfect and young again." Her gaze went soft, much like her voice. "He couldn't love his wife after that because he remembered how much he loved his childhood friend. Isn't that awful?"

Chloe snorted. "More like fucked up. I'm surprised a good Christian girl gets to read something so dark."

"Hey, give me some credit. My parents didn't completely shelter me when I chose to go to Blackwell."

"Do you…?" Chloe's hand traveled to the back of her head, rubbing at her neck. "Um, do you ever kinda wish they had, though? I mean, no offense, but you've been through some serious shit."

Kate sighed and leaned back into her chair. She looked down at her hands and folded them in her lap.

"Sometimes, I do," she whispered. "But then I would never have met such good friends."

"And those friends turned on you." Now Chloe felt the old heat rising from the bottom of her stomach. Whenever she thought about Rachel—or her father, for that matter—that vengeful fire was always ready to oblige. Time to kick ass and take names left and right. "Yeah, I sure as hell know what _that's_ like."

When Kate glanced at Chloe, a tiny smile broke through the despair on her face. "And you know that Max is better than all of them put together."

Chloe blushed. She reached up and pushed a loose strand of hair back under her beanie. "Yeah, okay. You got me there." When she sat up and looked ahead at the door, her head pulled itself back together, bringing a few thoughts and memories back into focus—minus the emotional heat this time. "Hey, what were you trying to tell me with that Bradbury story a second ago?"

Kate shrugged. "When Max told me about what happened with Rachel disappearing, it reminded me a little of the story. You lost a friend, and you tried to fill the void with someone new. And it worked for a while. But then Max came back to Arcadia Bay."

"I… I still loved Rachel," Chloe whispered. "Enough to keep searching for her, at least. But I never imagined. I never knew she'd—"

In one timeline, she was dead; in another, she was alive and living her dreams in LA. Neither option appealed to Chloe. She shut her eyes against the sudden ache in her chest.

"Hey." Kate wrapped her arms around Chloe. "It's okay to miss her."

"I don't—"

"No, really. It's okay, Chloe." Kate held onto her, pressing her cheek against Chloe's with a gentle force. The feeling reminded her of having a cat rub itself around her legs. "You don't have to talk about it with me. We can just sit here, all right?"

Gasping for air, Chloe nodded. She let her head fall against Kate's shoulder and rested in the girl's embrace. Her eyes fell half-shut as she stopped trying to come up with excuses and retorts. That was Old Chloe talking, not the New Chloe she'd promised to Max when they'd left for Portland together. Old Chloe had only dreamt about kissing Max, but it was New Chloe who kissed her girlfriend back and meant it.

Eyeing Kate from the side, she thought, _This girlfriend isn't too bad either._


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** _ **This is the second-to-last chapter to**_ **Persistence of Vision.** _ **I'm sure many of you were hoping for more action or drama, but most of that was for Chapters 7 and 8. I'd rather wrap things up in these last two chapters, and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Everything in Dr. Lexi Thurman's office was tasteful. Max's inner artist had a deep appreciation for the hand-sized abstract paintings on the wall to her left. She and her therapist sat on cream-colored circular armchairs, with a glass coffee table situated at the exact center of the room. The room had a welcoming quality, but it was impossible to miss the subtle cues of order and control.

Max needed those qualities now. Someplace where she felt safe.

"I'm glad to see that you're thorough with your worksheet," Dr. Thurman was saying. She was an older woman, somewhere in her late fifties. With her thick-rimmed glasses and hair bun, she reminded Max of Joyce Price, with the only exception being her Pacific Northwestern accent. Even her presence was maternal. She sat with her legs crossed and a trusting smile on her face. "You didn't find it too difficult, I hope?"

"No, not at all." Max looked down at the stack of papers on the coffee table. Sitting on top of them was the DBT worksheet that she'd received at the end of her first session. She'd spent the better part of three hours sitting alone in the bedroom, trying to fill out every box with her pen.

"Part of overcoming our traumas is learning to recognize and manage our everyday reactions to unpleasant situations," said Dr. Thurman. "For instance, you mentioned that your friends from school recently came to visit for a week."

Max nodded. She hadn't gotten into too much detail about the reasons for her breakdown or the incident at Lovejoy Park, but she'd explained enough for her therapist's benefit. A few lines about her friends, their relationships, and what recalling their time together did to her inside. Up to and including her paralysis under the weight of those memories.

Dr. Thurman clasped her hands together in her lap. "If you don't mind, I'd like to revisit that experience. Specifically"—she tapped the third row on the worksheet—"this conversation you had with your new roommate Kate."

"Right." Max licked her lips, fighting a sudden dry spell in her mouth. "Well, she and Chloe—my girlfriend—had a little argument. Kate was… well, she was being affectionate, and Chloe's a little jealous. Very protective of me. They said a few things, and then Chloe kicked her out of the apartment. And I…"

She swallowed. "I just sat there. I felt so helpless. And I know I could've helped Kate. Could've defended her to Chloe or brought her back home, but…"

"So you felt bad, but you couldn't leave?"

"I wanted to. And I knew it was Chloe overreacting." Max blinked as soon as the memory came roaring back from her subconscious. She saw it playing out in her head like a movie in HD. Every detail in perfect clarity. "She's got some abandonment issues. Her dad died when she was thirteen, and I… I moved away to Seattle not too long after. Ever since we got back together, she's been a little angry with me, but she's also scared of me leaving her again. And she's learned to let go of her anger, too."

"Except in this instance with Kate."

"Right. From her point of view, it looked like Kate was making a move on me."

"Did you think so at the time?"

Max's heart was beating hard against her ribcage. Any longer and she'd black out from a sudden spike in her blood pressure.

"Max?"

Clearing her throat, Max answered, "I wasn't sure."

"You feel that Kate was looking to be more than just a friend?"

She bit down on her bottom lip, wondering how long it would take before she tasted blood. "Um, about these sessions. Does everything stay confidential?"

"Absolutely." Dr. Thurman's smile lit up the room, timed perfectly with the intense sunlight that flickered across her windows. "You can anything here without judgment. I promise I've heard just about everything taboo you can think of, Max."

"Okay…" Max took a deep breath, held it for a second, and let it out with the slow grace of a waterfall. "So, Kate _does_ like me that way. She said so herself. And I like her, too."

"Does Chloe know about this?"

"Actually, yes. And she's cool with it." Max couldn't stop herself from blushing. "We… we've extended our relationship to include Kate now. I know it's a little extreme, but she helped me out of my depression after her fight with Chloe. And Chloe admitted that she's never been able to help me with my trauma, so she started liking Kate, too."

"I see." To her surprise, Dr. Thurman didn't write anything down. As gentle as her smile and demeanor were, Max could see a gleam of observation and calculation in her eyes whenever she spoke. "Well, that certainly is a surprising resolution, but I'm glad to know that you've worked things out with Kate. It sounds like you're all very protective of each other."

"She… has her issues, too." It didn't take much to bring Max back to her memory of the rainy day when she pulled Kate back from the Blackwell rooftop. "Like I said last time, that one week in October has been a nightmare for all of us."

"And now you've brought your friends together from Blackwell Academy." Dr. Thurman leaned a hair forward. "Have you noticed your reactions becoming more severe once they were in town?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"And now that it's just you, Kate, and Chloe?"

Max considered it. "Things are… easier now. A big part of it was realizing how much I was trying to ignore my feelings from last year. Chloe helped me forget for a time."

"And what about Kate?"

"She helps me remember the good days before all that." Max found herself smiling as if that cute girl was sitting right in front of her. "She's always been my friend, and I've always been hers."

"Interesting. So being with Kate reminds you of when you were happy at school?"

"Something like that. And once Chloe saw what Kate meant to me, we became better friends, too. She stopped being so possessive after I saved Kate."

Dr. Thurman nodded, confirming something in her mind. "That might be a good lesson for you to consider, Max. One of the key steps to fighting your panic attacks is to visualize yourself in a less stressful situation. It's not about repressing your memories or your feelings, but recognizing that not _all_ of your history is as painful as you remember it. You have happy memories with both Kate and Chloe, right?"

 _Where to begin?_ Max thought. She saw herself and Chloe running around the woods outside the lighthouse as kids, followed by Kate drinking tea with her at a café just off campus. Feeding Kate's bunny, kissing Chloe on a dare, her time with both of them at the hospital once the storm had come and gone—it all came flooding back in a single, beautiful sequence.

"Plenty," she said.

"Then that's where we'll start today…"

* * *

"Do you think she's getting better?"

Kate barely heard Chloe's question over the ambient noise of passing cars and pedestrians carrying on their conversations. It was still in the early afternoon, as a scorching heat covered the entire length of Tenth Avenue. Chloe had suggested that they stop at a nearby Ben and Jerry's. That gave Kate enough time to wax nostalgic about her sisters and all the times she'd taken them out for ice cream at the local mall. With so much sugar in the air, it was easy to remember those happier days.

"I think so," she told Chloe. "Max seems less jumpy and distant than when I first got here." Pausing to take another lick of her cone of Cherry Garcia, she added, "But then you'd know her better, right? I mean, being her girlfriend."

Chloe grinned. "You're _her_ girlfriend, too, Katie." When Kate blushed and looked away, she added, "But yeah, I guess you're right. She's not flipping out in her sleep quite so often these days. And that's a relief."

"I can't imagine how you could live with that for a month."

Offering a shrug, Chloe took another sip from her milkshake. It hadn't escaped Kate's attention that Chloe had slipped a little shot of something from a hip flask into her shake when they'd sat down.

"Mmm." Chloe licked her lips and set her drink down. "You'd be amazed what you can adapt to if you don't think about it." Still smiling, she reached up and tugged at a coil of her blue hair. "Like having cool colored hair."

"Was it always that color?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't always the whole head of hair." As she spoke, Chloe's hand slid across the table. Her fingers began to drum out a rhythm against the surface. Not a melody that Kate recognized at least. "I only dyed a few streaks at first, but once Mom and David the Destroyer got hitched, I started expanding. Add enough domestic disputes and pretty soon I was going full blue just to piss ol' step-prick off."

Kate grabbed an extra napkin to catch some of the ice cream that was melting down the side of her cone. "I've never thought about dyeing my hair before, but I think you pull it off nicely."

"You know, I even asked Max to try it out."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. Eventually, she's gonna rock it." As she rubbed her hands together, Chloe's grin turned malevolent. "I've already picked out the perfect shade of hot orange for my angel."

"That's…" Kate tried to picture the shy Max Caulfield in one of Chloe's punk rock outfits, waving her long, orange hair in the summer breeze. It was almost too ridiculous to imagine. "Um, dramatic?"

"Duh, that's the whole point! Rawk out with your rainbow power, girl!" Chloe leaned across the table, suddenly scrutinizing Kate. "You know, I bet I could find a nice shade of bubblegum pink if you ever wanted to give it a shot."

Kate almost spilled her ice cream onto her blouse. "Me?"

"Yeah, you! Whaddaya say?"

"I…" Kate tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She glanced away from Chloe's enthusiastic smile, feeling equal parts ashamed and surprised.

How many unexpected things had she already done since she'd arrived in Portland? Max and Chloe had a quality that brought out Kate's rebellious side, but only so far. She wasn't the kind of girl who picked locks on an RV or got into shouting matches with drug dealers and bullies. It wasn't part of the values that her parents had instilled in her from a young age. _Act your age, Kate. Be modest. Be respectful. Never raise your voice. Don't be a burden to others._ All those good Christian ideals that she had learned from vacation Bible school and a thousand Sunday sermons with Pastor Dave.

To date, the worst things that she had ever done included attending a Vortex Club party, putting herself on the roof of the girls' dormitory, and interrupting Max with an ill-timed, ill-fated kiss.

 _I'm not a bad girl,_ Kate thought. _I just pay horrible consequences for my decisions._

That was negative reinforcement as Dr. Grey would say. A cycle of thoughts based on a poor self-image that would only lead her back to that long, black depression.

"Hey, are you all right?" Chloe's hand was warm on her wrist. Kate looked up and saw the other girl watching her with a concerned frown. "Look, I'm an asshole. I… I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, okay? You don't have to go along with my bullshit all the time."

Kate nodded. "It's fine, Chloe. I'm not as brave as you or Max. I'd rather keep my hair as it is."

Chloe raised her hands, almost knocking over her milkshake in the act. "No, no, I get it. Not your style. I can hella respect that."

"Plus…" Kate chewed on her bottom lip. "Well, if my parents ever found out—"

"Ugh. Don't have to tell me about that. And you saw David's bad side up close, too." For a moment, Chloe's punk persona disappeared. When her shoulders dropped, and she clasped her hands on the table, her expression reminded Kate of the victim she saw in herself after that first—and only—Vortex Club party. "I love how Max stood up for you back then. If I'd been a stronger person like her, I'd have had your back, too." Her eyes fell toward the table. "Did, uh, Max tell you about what happened when you called her on the phone that day?"

"I don't remember."

"Long story short, I was a bitch. I told her not to pick up." Chloe's guilty expression grew darker with every word. "If I'd known how far down you were then, I'd never have …" She exhaled sharply. "Fuck it. I'm sorry, Kate."

Now it was Kate's turn to reach out and take Chloe by the hand. She held onto her and waited until Chloe looked her in the eye again.

"I know everyone thinks I'm preachy, but I do get why you felt that way," Kate explained. "And I forgive you, Chloe. While I'm infinitely glad Max didn't listen to you then, I don't think you have to apologize for who you are." She felt a blush coming on when she added, "Not with me, at least."

"Whew." Chloe mimed wiping the sweat from her brow. "Thanks, Kate. But Max has shown me that I've had to apologize for a lot of dumb shit I've pulled. Force of habit, I suppose."

Kate smiled back. "Lucky you, then. Getting two girlfriends who want to see the good in you."

"You better believe it."

* * *

Max's therapy session ended an hour later, now with a few more relaxation techniques under her belt and an armful of reading material to bring home. She wasn't sure if it was her therapy or something else at work, but when Chloe and Kate met her outside the building, Max could've sworn that she saw a magnificent aura of joy between the two girls. Like seeing ripples in a pond under a cloudless sky.

The rest of their day proceeded without incident. Chloe drove everyone to the Orange Lotus for lunch, followed by a lazy drive down Montgomery. Max felt a particular surge of joy when Kate began taking pictures of the neighborhood with her phone. It reminded her of the Kate she used to know in Blackwell, who took her studies seriously and had an eye for photography.

Sitting in between Kate and Chloe during the drive, Max looked down at her right hand. A moment or two passed in silence when she pieced together a sudden, surprising detail.

Her hand wasn't hurting anymore.

Phantom pain, according to Dr. Thurman, wasn't an uncommon symptom for PTSD victims. But it had never occurred to Max before how much she associated her flashbacks and nightmares with that sudden throbbing pain in her hand. She remembered in vain all those failed attempts to rewind time, all those deaths she undid—or tried to undo—through pure resolve. And every time, the pain would flare up in her hand, mingling with the trauma she relived until it overwhelmed her senses—

 _Not today,_ Max told herself, sidestepping any sense of guilt or judgment in her thoughts. That was another negative feedback loop at work.

She didn't need it anymore. Her memories still hurt, but they didn't have to define her present life—or her future.

 _I can do this,_ Max vowed.

Concentrating on her breath, she flexed her hand open and shut a few times. In and out, in and out, just like the visualization methods she'd learned earlier. Breaking through the cycle of pain with clear, confident self-awareness.

She saw the lighthouse again, right as the sun was setting over the water by the cliffs. More images followed. Dana and Juliet holding each other on a rainy Tuesday outside the girls' dorm. Daniel sketching Max's portrait under a tree. Her horrible attempts to "thrash" in Chloe's old bedroom. Joyce at the diner. Frank at the beach. Graduation Day. The morning after.

So many memories, beautiful and bittersweet in a continuous downpour. As painful as many of them were, they didn't break her.

And her hand wasn't aching at all.

 _Kate got better. So can I._

"Hey, Max?" Kate lowered her phone and turned to her friend, her face morphing into a quiet, warm expression that never failed to melt Max's heart. "Chloe told me you were seriously considering dyeing your hair. Is that true?"

"In the fall," Max insisted. She leaned past Kate, giving her other girlfriend a pointed stare. "When the colors change in Portland, I want my hair to change with it. And not a day sooner."

"Aye aye, Captain Caulfield!" Chloe replied, flashing a cheeky grin.

Meanwhile, Kate tucked a loose coil of hair behind her ear. "In that case… do you think I should try changing my hair, too?"

Max needed a moment to process the statement. When she realized Kate wasn't joking, she blushed and put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Listen, that's your call and no one else's. I want whatever would make _you_ happy, Kate. Not your parents"—she leaned forward again for another stare toward the driver's seat—"or your roommates."

Kate fell silent, but Max kept her hand on her shoulder. She waited a moment, then smiled and added, "But if it makes you feel better, I'm sure you'd look cute with pink hair."

"My thoughts exactly!" Chloe took her eyes off the road long enough to reach over and tease the back of Kate's hair with one hand. "She'll give the whole town heart attacks with her new do!"

The blush on Kate's face was too precious for Max to handle. She laughed and hugged the other girl around the waist. Kate laughed as well and leaned into Max. It was a warm moment that deserved to last forever, like a doe inside a snow globe.

* * *

They picked up dinner at the Hawaiian burger joint down the street from their apartment, bringing it home for a casual meal on the couch. Chloe took the opportunity to slam a few beers down and make a "drunken" pass at Kate's thigh. Max responded by swatting Chloe on the back, though she had to admit that any opportunity to make Kate blush and smile was worth the effort.

Between the carbs and the beer, a drowsy post-dinner atmosphere settled in the room. Max found herself curled up against Kate's side on the couch while they watched TV. Chloe, meanwhile, excused herself and retreated to the bedroom for a late-night smoke. Max barely heard her girlfriend's footsteps padding down the hall when she left.

On the TV was another rerun of _The Twilight Zone._ Max liked the old black-and-white stories, but something about the show, especially late at night, gave her surreal dreams. Still, it had been a good day, and she needed to unwind.

Kate shifted a little lower, moving Max's head down toward her lap. Max snuggled up against her before glancing up at the other girl with a smile.

"Is this comfortable?" Kate asked.

"Very." Max closed her eyes, continuing to smile. "You're the perfect little pillow."

"That's sweet of you to say."

"Hey, it's true." Max peeked one eye open and looked back at Kate. "You know, since you're officially part of the family—"

She stopped as Kate blushed and turned away. Max pushed herself up from the girl's lap and took her by the hand. "Hey, there's no need to be embarrassed. It's true. Chloe and I consider you family. Especially after what you did for me."

"I'm grateful," Kate whispered. When she turned to Max, her eyes were brimming with tears. "It's nice to feel accepted again."

"Always, Kate." Max leaned in and planted a quick kiss on her lips, cutting off another protest.

Kate let out a tiny squeal and leaned back into the couch. Max laughed and lowered her head onto Kate's chest, snuggling her much like she'd done before.

"You know," said Max, "if you ever feel like spending the night with me and Chloe, there's plenty of room in our bed."

"Max!" Kate's face tightened into a mask of horror. "How could you even _suggest_ that?"

"What?" Max blinked. Then, when she saw the downcast look in Kate's eyes, she smacked herself on the forehead. "Oh, geez. I'm an idiot, Kate. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Kate bit her bottom lip when she glanced away. "I don't often have nightmares about that party, but… well, it's something that I'm still working out with my therapist."

With every word, Max's mortification only grew worse. Seeing Kate's tear-lined face, hearing the despair in her voice, and remembering all too well the blackness that had followed her a year ago, she knew that some scars hadn't fully healed for the poor girl. More than anything, she would've given up half her life, made a deal with the devil, just to go back in time and erase that nightmare from Kate's history.

But she knew better than that. She'd seen firsthand what happened when she started messing around with her friends' timelines.

 _I'm sorry, William. I'm sorry, Chloe…_

Even now, she could see their faces. Old William sitting at a table, surrounded by bills he would never afford, right behind Chloe hooked up to a ventilator in a hospital bed. Two Prices whom she loved dearly, caught in a fractured reality that only she would remember.

Other dark and painful memories swelled up from the back of her mind, threatening to break free—

 _Not tonight,_ said Max.

She faced the memory of Chloe's eyes falling shut, overloaded with a morphine drip, and refused to flinch. She refused to let that mental image destroy her on the inside.

Instead, she replaced it with a happier one: Kate Marsh, sitting in a hospital chair, drawing and smiling to herself as the sun shone through her room's windows. Then came another memory of Chloe on the same day, sitting at her computer with her back to Max while they examined their pile of clues. She remembered that it had been a bright and sunny day, even with all the crazy weather in Arcadia Bay. A Sparklehorse song had been playing on Chloe's Hi-Fi while they worked; the melody still rang loud and clear in Max's ears.

Between those two moments lay an oasis of pure tranquility and joy in a world gone mad.

Max drew in a deep, shuddering breath. Then she put her hand on Kate's shoulder, holding those lovely scenes in her mind.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I wouldn't have suggested that if I'd been thinking clearly. You don't have to join us if it makes you uncomfortable, all right?"

"Thanks, Max." Kate's lips curved up into a tiny, cautious smile. "And for what it's worth, I'm flattered. I know you and Chloe wouldn't try to take advantage of me like someone else would."

"Not on your life." Max hugged herself against Kate's side. "We want you to feel at home with us, Kate. If all you ever wanted to do was cuddle with me and Chloe all night long, that'd suit us just fine. This is a judgment-free zone."

Kate nodded, smiling past the tears in her eyes. She wiped them away with one hand and used the other to pull Max into another hug. Max fell on top of her as they landed on the couch, their limbs and lips entwined with all the grace of a sailor's knot. After a few passionate seconds, she grabbed the folded-up blanket from the floor, pulling it over herself and Kate.

Meanwhile, Kate had moved around the pillows on her end of the couch. Max crawled up underneath the blanket until she was eye level with Kate.

With another quick kiss and a giggle, Max held Kate close. Both girls snuggled together under the blanket, illuminated by the flickering glow from the TV, where Rod Serling delivered another of his famous ending monologues.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** _ **This marks the final chapter of the story. Thanks to all my readers for your support and your wonderful comments while I was writing this.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

When Kate woke up the next morning, she wasn't surprised to find herself under a blanket with someone else's arms wrapped around her torso. She let out a tiny sigh and stretched out her arms before turning over to face her bedmate.

Only then did the rest of the world come into sudden focus. To the best of her memory, she remembered falling asleep on the couch and sharing a blanket with Max. In the morning, Kate found herself in the bedroom, underneath a heavy quilt, with Chloe snuggled up against her. The punk rock girl's tattoos gleamed under the stark beam of sunlight that passed through the half-drawn curtains on the window. Her tousled blue hair fell to the side in a giant clump on her pillow.

Chloe looked so peaceful that Kate didn't want to disturb her. Over the last few weeks, she'd seen Chloe happy, sad, angry, and terrified, but never actually content. Kate supposed that describing Chloe as _content_ would've been like calling a hurricane _a light drizzle_.

Putting her thoughts of cute girls aside, Kate desperately wanted a shower, clean clothes, and some breakfast. She managed to nudge Chloe's arm off of her waist, using the same deliberate care that she would show to her rabbit when her cage needed cleaning. Chloe's only response was to snort as Kate pried herself free from her grip and sat up in bed.

Hopping into the shower, Kate luxuriated in the heavenly warm running water. She took her time scrubbing her skin and rubbing Max's shampoo through her hair. For a moment, she wondered what it would feel like if the shampoo had been hair dye, like the kind Chloe had mentioned. Kate tried to picture herself with bubblegum pink hair and chuckled at the thought. It would give her parents a heart attack and delight her sisters, which only made the idea more attractive.

 _We'll wait until the fall,_ she promised herself. _Everything changes then._

Ten minutes later, she had toweled herself off, brushed her teeth, and done her hair and makeup. Slipping on the summer dress she'd picked out, Kate admired her reflection in the mirror. Between the outfit and her long hair, she wouldn't have recognized herself a year ago.

 _Rawk out with your rainbow power, girl!_ Chloe's voice rang loud and clear in her head, prompting Kate to smile as she left the bathroom.

"Morning!" Kate had barely set foot in the bedroom when she received a side tackle from Chloe, who spun her around. Chloe all but slammed Kate against the wall, giggling as she leaned in for a quick kiss on the other girl's forehead. "Looks like _someone_ got their beauty sleep."

Kate blushed and looked away. "Chloe…"

"Aww, you know it's true." Stepping back, Chloe regarded Kate with a pleased smile. She seemed entirely comfortable standing in a leopard print t-shirt and a pair of boy shorts, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Anyway, you'd better go and see if Max is up," she added. "I've, uh, gotta medicate."

Kate nodded. "Of course. We'll save you a bowl of cereal."

"Atta girl!" Chloe patted Kate on the shoulder before shooing her out the door.

Passing down the hallway, Kate could already hear a few soft sounds coming from the kitchen. She straightened the front of her dress before she entered the living room.

Max was sitting on the couch, already dressed in her gray hoodie and a pair of black jeans. She was bent over a notebook, scribbling in it with a pen. Her face had an intense expression, with her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed together. Every so often, Max would pause in her writing and reach over to the coffee table for a sip from a steaming mug of tea.

When Kate cleared her throat, Max's pen froze. It only lasted for a split second, but it was long enough for Kate to notice the way her girlfriend's eyes widened, and she drew in a short, sharp breath. A brief flash of panic that could've meant any number of things—none of them good.

The moment passed as quickly as it'd come. Max looked up from the notebook and smiled. "Hey, Kate. How'd you sleep?"

"Quite well, thanks." Kate rubbed at her left arm, still imagining the heat from Chloe's body behind her. "I, um, could've sworn I'd fallen asleep on the couch, though."

"Oh, yeah." Max grinned. "That was Chloe's doing. She thought you'd feel more at home if you slept in a bed." Crossing her arms, she added, "Even though _I_ said she should've asked first."

Kate laughed. "Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission, I suppose."

"If there's anybody who knows forgiveness, it's Kate Marsh."

They were still laughing as Kate moved to sit beside Max. She leaned over, trying to sneak a peek at the notebook. All she got was the faint glimpse of a pair of hand-drawn angel's wings and two paragraphs written in black ink before Max snapped the notebook shut.

"Sorry!" Max hugged the notebook to her chest. "It's… private."

"Oh, I didn't mean to snoop." Kate patted Max on the arm. "Is it for therapy?"

"Something like that." After a moment of rolling her eyes back and forth, Max sighed and dropped the notebook onto her lap. She opened it up again and moved it closer for Kate to read. "I started keeping a journal when I first arrived at Blackwell Academy. Until I met you and Warren, it was the closest thing I had to a real friend on campus."

Kate flipped through the pages one at a time, admiring the neatness of Max's handwriting and the colorful artwork and collages she'd added to the sides of each page. She paused when she came to one striking combination: a photo of herself, taken from behind, onto which Max had sketched a pair of delicate angel's wings.

The date of the entry wasn't lost on her either. October 8, 2013.

 _I saw her actually jump…_ Five small words that cut Kate like a knife across the throat. She kept on reading, reliving the moment from a distance, trying to see it through Max's eyes as she read her account of the suicide attempt. A vague impression of rainclouds and slippery concrete bubbled up from the depths of her mind, but it wasn't strong enough to hurt. Not like before.

 _Lo and behold, Kate stepped back from the ledge. Alive. I almost cried in her arms._

"Are you okay?" Max leaned over, looking worried. "Do you… need a moment?"

"No, I'm fine." Kate dabbed at her eyes with her fingertip, removing the few tears that had begun to fall. "To be honest, I haven't even read any of the news articles about that day. It didn't seem right at the time."

"I know the feeling."

Kate passed the notebook over to Max. "Thanks for letting me read it, though. And for caring so much about me."

"How could anyone _not?_ "

They turned at the sound of Chloe's voice. She sauntered into the living room, fully dressed in her blue jeans, boots, and white tank top. When she passed Kate, she reached down to tousle her hair. Max leaned her head back just in time to receive a quick kiss as Chloe parked herself on the other end of the couch.

"Hey, Max, whatcha writing?" Slipping her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders, Chloe gave her a squeeze. "Is it juicy? Are these forlorn love letters to yours truly?"

"Err…" Seeing Max blush made Kate smile. For a moment, she was reminded of the shy girl she knew from Blackwell. Before that October where everything went to hell.

"It's okay," said Kate. She gave Max a prod. "You can show her."

A shadow crossed Max's face. "Some of it's not real. I mean, okay, it _was_ real once, but…"

Chloe grabbed for the notebook just as Max yanked it away. "C'mon, Super Max, don't leave me hanging. Let's take a peek!"

Max held the notebook between herself and Chloe like a shield. "On one condition."

"Anything! Lemme see!"

Taking Chloe by the hand, Max looked her in the eye. "If you read anything that's too heavy, you've gotta talk it out with me and Kate. No more running off to your truck or holing up in the bedroom with a joint. Got it?"

Chloe's face fell. She glanced at Kate, then back at Max. After a moment of silence, she nodded. "It's a deal. We'll talk it out."

Letting out her breath, Max slumped back onto the couch, letting the notebook fall into her lap with a solid thump. Chloe picked it up and flipped open to the first page. As she began to read, she slid into Max, using her shoulder as a makeshift pillow. Max smiled and leaned back against Chloe, gradually easing up on her gloomy mood.

Kate watched the two of them with her hands folded in her lap. The atmosphere in the room had a quality that felt like some of the more uncomfortable moments she'd seen between her parents, especially in the first three weeks after she came out of the hospital.

Then she cleared her throat, getting Max's attention. "So, who's ready for breakfast?"

"Cereal's in the cupboard," Max offered. Since Chloe's back had her right arm pinned down, she gestured with her left toward the kitchen. "Extra strawberries on mine, please."

"Sure thing, Max. Chloe?"

"Mm?" Chloe didn't even look up from the journal. "Oh, yeah. Same, hold the berries." She went back to her reading, but she paused long enough to make a sidelong glance at Max and snicker. "Heh. 'Hold the berries.' I bet _that's_ something I won't find you doing in here—"

"Ugh, shut up." Max retaliated with a swat to Chloe's thigh, causing her to sit up and giggle.

Kate shook her head and resumed her walk into the kitchen. She kept busy while she prepared three bowls of cereal and milk, but her mind was wandering the whole time, drifting back to the picture collages Max had created in her diary. She loved the image of Max and Chloe in bed together, smiling for what looked like an early morning selfie. And who couldn't love the designs that Max had drawn on each page? She wasn't half-bad as an artist, no matter what she claimed.

 _I do like Kate Marsh,_ an early entry had read. _She's down the hall and in one of my classes. She's so pretty AND sweet and friendly. It makes her more beautiful than the beeatches here like Victoria who think beauty is just your face and outfit…_

If Max had said all those wonderful things about Kate in her diary in a few short blurbs, then Chloe was sure to be surprised at the scores of pages devoted to her.

* * *

A week and a half later, the trip had finally reached its end. Max and Chloe made a big show of her imminent departure, taking her to breakfast at a local café before buying her a "Keep Portland Weird" T-shirt. After all, Chloe had reasoned, Kate would need something concrete to show her parents before they asked too many questions about her vacation.

Thankfully, Max had been checking all her social media links that morning. None of their friends had posted anything about her brief breakdown and Kate's timely rescue. Another crisis averted.

At a quarter to noon, the three girls stood outside the bus depot. Chloe insisted on carrying Kate's luggage onto the bus once it arrived. Max took Kate by the hand before she could offer to help.

"Trust me, she's got it." Max smiled. "And I wanted to say again how much we loved having you with us, Kate. This was the most fun we've had in months."

"I feel the same way." Kate reached out and grabbed her other hand, pulling Max closer. "But promise me you're going to keep going to your sessions, okay? I don't want to have to come and save you from the fountain park again."

"Deal!" Max giggled as she hugged Kate. The other girl buried her face in Max's shoulder, squeezing her tight.

A pair of footsteps caught their attention, forcing the hug to a premature end. Max had a glimpse of a blue streak just before Chloe tackled Kate from behind. Sliding her arms around her waist, Chloe hoisted her smaller girlfriend off the ground and laughed.

"Gotcha!" Chloe let Kate drop back to her feet before spinning her around to look her in the eye. "You ready to head back to Hicksville? Last chance to go AWOL."

Kate nodded, brushing away some hair from the side of her face. "It's for the best. I'd like a few more good memories from Arcadia Bay before I go to school out here."

"Speaking of which, Max and I have been talking." Chloe jerked her head toward her girlfriend. "We're fine with you crashing at our place, but if you're gonna be our new roommate in the fall, we might as well look for a _two_ -bedroom apartment."

"Oh." Kate's blush sent a flutter through Max's heart. "I wouldn't want you to go to too much trouble—"

"It's no trouble, Kate." Max put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Chloe's got a webcomic thing going on the side now. It's not much, but we'll be able to afford a new place in the fall." Before Kate could respond, she added, "And I know your father would insist on offering to cover your share of the rent, so we'll be fine so long as you're with us."

"He _is_ generous." Kate dropped her head against Chloe's breast, letting the taller girl wrap her arms around her. "You've both been far too kind to me."

"Er, some of us were better than others," Chloe added with an awkward chuckle.

Max looked at the two of them, quiet and loving together. She didn't hesitate to grab her smartphone and snap a photo, taking long enough for the other girls to turn and smile for the camera.

 _That's my new phone background_ , she decided.

Meanwhile, Chloe leaned her head down and kissed Kate on the lips. Hesitant at first, Kate slowly returned the kiss. Max felt a little bad for her; the front of the depot wasn't crowded, but there were passengers still getting off the bus from Arcadia Bay and a few waiting to board. Only one or two people glanced in their direction, but no one paid the kissing couple much attention, for which Max thanked God.

Kate turned back to Max. They shared a smile, and Max leaned in to peck her on the lips. Nothing so passionate as Chloe, but it was sweet enough that Max couldn't help but grin when she pulled back.

"I love you," she whispered.

"Love you, too," Kate replied.

"Say hi to your parents for me, okay?"

"Of course."

Kate let go of Max's hand and turned toward the bus. She took a deep breath and then headed inside.

Chloe held onto Max's shoulder from behind, the two of them watching Kate find her seat and hearing the front doors close. They waved as the bus drove off, catching a fleeting glimpse of Kate Marsh's radiant smile through the window before she turned away. Minutes passed before the bus became a tiny silver speck on the horizon, and then another ripple in the dry summer air, heading in the vague direction of Arcadia Bay.

Max knew she'd get back to that town someday soon. Of course she missed Joyce and so many of their friends, but she needed time away from that place. Dr. Thurman had been clear about her need to find some emotional stability before she started reopening any old wounds.

Flexing out her fingers, she was pleased that her hand wasn't bothering her at all.

The smell of exhaust was still fresh in the air when Chloe finally stirred. She slid her hand down the curve of Max's back. "Our little bird has left the nest." Then, with a vicious grin, she added, "Let's get a dog!"

"No landlord is ever gonna let _you_ own a dog, Beastmaster."

"Not with _that_ attitude." Chloe hugged Max around the waist, cutting off her protests as she leaned into her. "I'm kidding, of course. No hound is ever gonna be as cool as Kate. Or as sweet."

Max gave in and allowed herself a pleased smirk. "See? And you had your doubts about inviting her to stay for a month."

"Well… I could've done without that late-night chase through town."

"She wasn't—" Max stopped and looked up at Chloe. "Okay, you got me there. But without her, we'd still be locked in our sad little spiral."

Chloe nodded. As she spoke, she guided Max away from the depot and toward the truck parked a few yards down the street. "It wasn't always sad, but you're right. I'm… I'm glad we gave her a good home, Max. She deserves it after all the shit she's been through."

"We _all_ do."

It didn't take long for them to get into the truck. As Chloe fired up the engine and pulled off into the flow of midday traffic, Max felt a tingle down her spine. She couldn't decide if she was having another flashback or a premonition. That tingle reminded her of the beginning of another adventure. Like the feeling she had when Chloe helped her break into Blackwell in the middle of the night. That edge-of-your-seat joy and terror merged into a single brilliant flash.

And it reminded Max of the second kiss she shared with Chloe. The one that actually meant something to both of them.

In the present, she touched her lips and smiled at the memory. Chloe was grinning herself as they sped on down the road toward Montgomery and another beautiful day.

 ** _~ Fin ~_**


End file.
